Governor to extend phase 1b of COVID-19 vaccination plan to CT residents 65 and over – NBC Connecticut



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The state of Connecticut will expand phase 1b of the coronavirus vaccination plan in the coming weeks to include people aged 65 and older as well as residents with underlying health conditions that put them at increased risk virus.

Gov. Ned Lamont issued a press release Thursday afternoon saying he ordered the Connecticut Department of Public Health to begin the phase by prioritizing the vaccine for people over 75 in the first vague and would accept the recommendations of the COVID-19 Governor’s Advisory Group Allocation Subcommittee will expand Phase 1b in the coming weeks.

This will include residents between 65 and 74, an estimated group of around 353,000; and residents aged 16 to 64 who have underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of contracting the virus. The governor said that this group includes around 362,000 people.

Phase 1b currently includes residents aged 75 and over, or approximately 277,000 people; residents and staff of the gathering places, which includes approximately 50,000 people; and essential front-line workers, approximately 325,000 people.

Lamont said he had ordered the Connecticut Department of Public Health to begin the phase by prioritizing the vaccine for people over 75 in the first wave.

As supply increases and a significant portion of people over 75 have received the vaccine, phase 1b will open to include more eligible populations with a focus on addressing equity issues and the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19.

Lamont said it is estimated that 1.3 million Connecticut residents are eligible for phase 1b.

Planning in progress

Planning soon

  • Essential frontline workers
  • Individuals and staff in places of assembly
  • People aged 65 to 74
  • People aged 16 to 64 with co-morbidities

The state plans to receive approximately 46,000 first doses of the vaccine per week from the federal government.

All eligible residents must make an appointment prior to receiving the vaccine.

How to register for a COVID-19 vaccine

Starting today, people over 75 can book appointments using the following tools:

Health provider: Many residents have already been or will be contacted to schedule an appointment by their health care provider if their provider is participating in the state’s immunization program. Not all providers administer the vaccine. A list of participating providers is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine. Residents are urged not to contact their doctor or health care provider directly for appointments for the COVID vaccine.

Online: A form can be viewed online at ct.gov/covidvaccine that allows individuals to make an appointment through the online Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS).

Phone: Those without internet access can call the Connecticut COVID vaccine appointment helpline at 877-918-2224. The telephone system was created in partnership with the Department of Public Health and United Way of Connecticut and is specifically intended to provide support to eligible vaccine recipients who have limited access to technology, or who have language barriers, disabilities or otherwise. that might prevent them from successfully using existing self-planning options. The line will take calls Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will offer a callback option when all contact specialists are busy serving other callers. The team will endeavor to return calls as quickly as possible, with the aim of responding the same day.

The governor said more details on phase 1b eligibility will be forthcoming and will include advice for employers, employees, self-employed workers and others on when and how to schedule appointments. for vaccines and places of vaccination.

Providers can complete appointments with other eligible phase 1b populations if places are available.

More than 160,000 people in Connecticut received the vaccine during phase 1a, which began on December 14.



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