Politics & Government

Patience Urged As CT Coronavirus Vaccine Mass Rollout Begins

Connecticut's coronavirus figures continue to swing widely from day to day with no easy explanation as to why.

So far, more than 154,000 people in Connecticut have received their first vaccine dose and another 16,000 have received both doses. The phase 1a population includes frontline healthcare workers and nursing home and assisted living residents and staff.
So far, more than 154,000 people in Connecticut have received their first vaccine dose and another 16,000 have received both doses. The phase 1a population includes frontline healthcare workers and nursing home and assisted living residents and staff. (Shutterstock)

CONNECTICUT — The next phase of the state's coronavirus vaccine distribution plan starts Monday, and it will take several months before everyone in the phase who wants a shot can get one. The group includes around 1.3 million people and the state is getting around 46,000 vaccine doses per week. Phase 1b includes more than a third of the state’s population.

“We moved some people from the 1c category into 1b,” Acting Department of Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford said Thursday. “The general population timeline we expect is still the summer time.”

So far, more than 154,000 people in Connecticut have received their first vaccine dose and another 16,000 have received both doses. The phase 1a population includes front-line health care workers and nursing home and assisted living residents and staff.

Find out what's happening in Across Connecticutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Connecticut opened up appointment registration for residents over 75 years old on Thursday. Appointments will begin Monday, though some in the 75-plus population have already gotten their shots. The state will focus on those residents first before moving to other parts of the phase 1b population.

So far, the 75-plus crowd seems very receptive to the vaccine, Gov. Ned Lamont said.

Find out what's happening in Across Connecticutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Connecticut will get a bonus 50,000 coronavirus vaccine doses next week as a reward from the federal Department of Health and Human Services for getting the vaccine administration program off to a good start, according to Gov. Ned Lamont. That amounts to around an extra week’s worth of doses.

“We appreciate it people are recognizing the incredible hard work of our providers to make sure you get vaccinated.” he said.

  • Residents in congregate settings like prisons and homeless shelters (50,000 people).
  • Residents over 75 (277,000 people).
  • Frontline essential workers (325,000 people).
  • Residents 65 to 74 years old (353,000 people).
  • Residents 16 to 64 years old who have an underlying health condition that puts them at greater risk for coronavirus complications (362,000 people).

The state’s focus will be on vaccinating the people most at risk for severe illness or death from the coronavirus along with issues of equity and health disparity in communities, Gifford said. Those goals come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state’s vaccine advisory group.

The exact process for people between the ages of 16 and 74 years old with pre-existing conditions hasn’t been worked out yet, said Acting Department of Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford.

“It’s likely we’ll need some sort of verification whether it's an order or other communication from a provider for those individuals who would be eligible,” she said.

Gifford didn’t predict any major changes to the Biden administration’s overall vaccine recommendations.

The Biden administration will likely provide more clarity and a better forecast of weekly doses going forward, Lamont said. Coordination between the White House coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence and Biden’s task force has improved over the past couple weeks.


Connecticut coronavirus figures bounce around

Connecticut’s coronavirus figures continue to swing widely from day-to-day with no easy explanation as to why. Thursday looked more like a November day with a positive test rate of 4.37 percent, a net 30-patient drop hospitalizations and 968 new cases.

“I’m having a hard time coming up with a rhyme or reason for why these numbers are bouncing around,” Lamont said.

Connecticut's seven-day per capita case count is the 15th highest in the country, according to the New York Times coronavirus tracker.

Another 17 deaths were reported, which was a major difference from the 87 reported the previous day.


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