As about 600,000 more people could start registering for the COVID vaccine on Monday, government officials are urging patience, but remain optimistic, everyone who qualifies will get an appointment within the next three weeks.
As of Monday, 55 to 64-year-olds, along with teachers, school workers and childcare staff, are eligible to receive the vaccine, but appointments are not immediately available to everyone.
Josh Geballe, chief operating officer of Governor Ned Lamont, said the state believes Connecticut will be vaccinated within the next few weeks as the increasing amount of vaccines is ingested in Connecticut.
‘We expect a lot of eligible people to rush out (Monday) to book an appointment. “People need to be willing to be patient, but know that it will be their turn within the next few weeks,” Geballe said on Sunday.
For those eligible just Monday, government officials are asking them to wait a few days to make appointments to ensure those most in need are vaccinated.
The next stages of implementation come as Connecticut continues to receive encouraging news about the vaccine supply. Government officials said about 100,000 first doses of Pfizer and Modern vaccines will be sent to Connecticut this week, along with 40,000 doses of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine – 10,000 more than expected.
Unlike Moderna and Pfizer, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires one dose, which means some people will finish their vaccination faster.
The state has confidence in the new vaccine, which according to experts has clear success in preventing serious diseases and deaths due to COVID-19. The state has instructed providers to indicate which vaccine will be provided during the notification process.
“We encourage everyone to take the first vaccine available to them,” Geballe said.
Lamont announced a shift in the state’s vaccination strategy last week, prioritizing people according to age groups instead of focusing on essential workers and those at high-risk medical conditions. The move, according to his administration, simplified a complicated process and accelerated the distribution.
The state estimates that the new groups eligible Monday will include about 610,000 people in total, not counting those vaccinated through the early stages of the vaccination.
Despite the suitability of the new groups, government officials said those 65 and older could and will be vaccinated in the coming weeks. As of last week, state data showed that about 75 percent of those aged 75 and older were vaccinated, and about half of those aged 65 to 74 received the vaccine.
In anticipation of the rush of eligible people from Monday, the state’s telephone line will double its staff to 300.
“We expect our online scheduling systems and the vaccination system to be flooded by Monday and the next few days with people eager to make their vaccination appointments. “This is a good problem, and we have increased our ability to handle the expected increase in volume better, but it will still be necessary for people to be patient when signing up,” said the acting department of public health commissioner, Dr. Deidre Gifford, said. “To alleviate the burden on the online and telephone systems, we call on residents aged 55 and over to consider waiting a few days before making an appointment if they are capable of that. ”
Residents who prefer to make an appointment by phone can call 877-918-2224.
Balls said that despite increased staff members, people can expect busy signals on Monday, but reiterated that they will get appointments soon.
Although the fitness officially opens at midnight, state officials have asked providers to update their sites Monday at 7 p.m.
Some vaccine sites require residents to prove that they are eligible. RVNA Health in Ridgefield has a notice on its website instructing those 55 and older to bring along documentation, such as an ID, indicating their date of birth. Those who are eligible for their job must bring a pay stick, employee ID, letter or other documentation, the notice reads.
While school staff and teachers are eligible from Monday, government officials are asking them to wait until the vaccination clinics at schools and local health departments are scheduled.
According to a memorandum from DPH, most are likely to open later this month.
“Individual school districts work with their towns and local health departments / districts to draw up a plan for their teachers, school staff and child care workers. The vaccination plan will therefore look from city to city and district to district, ”said Maura Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the public health department.
She said the agency would make sure that every local health department, or other provider chosen by the school and local officials, “has enough supplies to offer clinics during March.”
Balls said the state has asked these clinics to keep an updated ‘assistance’ list of those eligible in the area, if extra doses are available.
Balls said how local health departments would handle the distribution of vaccines. Some focus only on teachers, school workers and childcare staff, but some will also vaccinate the general population.
The departments coordinate with the state, which will ensure that a provider is available if the local health department focuses on educators.
“They are all closely coordinating with the state as this happens so that we do not lose any momentum in the general vaccination program for 55 and older,” Geballe said.