Connecticut began vaccinations for COVID-19 in mid-December and the second phase, Phase 1b, began. Residents 75 and older can sign up to be vaccinated and registrations will begin soon for essential frontline workers, individuals between the ages of 65 and 74, people between the ages of 16 and 64 with joint problems, and Connecticut residents and staff in the congregation institutions.
Early data released in phase one and two trials of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine show that it appears to be safe and elicits an immune response.
Who is in Phase 1b in CT?
Phase 1b will include approximately 1.3 million Connecticut residents and several primary groups will be eligible for the Phase 1b vaccine, which is expected to begin this month:
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- Frontline essential workers
- Education and child care
- First responders and public safety
- Transport
- Direct care social services
- Food and groceries
- Agriculture and farming
- Manufacture
- Residents in the municipal area and staff
- Resident 65 to 74 years old
- Residents aged 16 to 64 with high risk conditions
The state said key factors in determining who is next are based on the risk of serious illness or death and the fight against health inequalities and inequalities, according to Deirdre Gifford, acting commissioner of the public health department. Gifford said patience is needed while the state implements phase 1b.
Governor Ned Lamont revealed additional details during his press briefing on Thursday afternoon on how residents 75 years and older can plan COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
More detailed information about groups in 1b
- Healthcare providers not included in phase 1a: all healthcare professionals who may not have the vaccine in phase 1a – including mortuary services, OT, PT and telecommunications health
- Education and child care: Individuals working in schools, educational institutions and childcare institutions (eg teachers, childcare workers, bus drivers, librarians, before and after school program employees)
- First responders and public safety: All first responders who were not eligible in Phase 1a, including police, fire and correctional officers and people actively working in court institutions (eg judges, domestic workers, officers)
- United States Postal Service Employee: Individuals working in the delivery and transportation industries, including the US Postal Service, as well as other direct delivery services such as FedEx, UPS and couriers
- Personal transport: Public transport, taxi drivers and currently active drivers, and airlines
- Essential retail: Individuals working in retail stores where goods are essential for daily living (eg Grocery stores, hardware stores and pharmacies / pharmacies)
- Food and restaurants: Individuals working in the food and restaurant industry (eg chefs / cooks, bartenders, restaurant waiters / hosts, dishwashers, fast food and counter servers)
- Agricultural: Individuals working in the farming, livestock and fishing industries (eg farm workers, fishing, forestry, agricultural inspectors, pest control)
- Manufacture: Individuals who design or manufacture products for use or sale. (eg machine operators, metal and plastic workers, installation, maintenance and repair workers)
- Direct social and government services Individuals providing direct social or government services (eg Homeless Shelter, soup kitchens, municipal or public services and personal pastoral / religious services)
- Public drinking water, waste water and solid waste services: Individuals who work to protect the safety of public drinking water and wastewater systems, and who collect and tow and treat solid waste (eg water and wastewater treatment workers, system administrators and collectors for waste and recyclable materials)
Who is in Phase 1a in CT?
According to the state’s vaccination website, the following groups are eligible in phase 1a:
- Healthcare staff: All paid and unpaid persons who serve in health care services and have the potential to have direct or indirect exposure to patients of infectious materials.
- Residents of long-term care institutions: Adults living in facilities that provide a range of services, including medical and personal care, to persons who are unable to live independently.
- First responders run the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their response to medical emergencies such as emergency medical technicians, police and firefighters. staff.
Healthcare workers who do not come into contact with Phase 1a with patients or infectious materials, such as healthcare providers.
Qualify in phase 1a:
- Doctors, nurses and related healthcare providers seeing patients
- Licensed pharmacists and registered pharmacy technicians working on the premises in pharmacies
- Conservation, diet, administrative and support staff caring for patients
- First responders (police, fire brigade, EMS) if they are actively responding to 911 medical calls or involved in the treatment of COVID cases
- School nurses
- Home Health Providers, Companions at Home Creators, PCAs
- Residents of long-term care facilities
- Dentists, dental hygiene and other staff for oral health
- Laboratory staff
- Students doing clinical rotations
Phase 1a eligible for health care individuals should speak with their organization leadership to obtain information on access to the vaccine.
Some health systems have made appointments for 1a-qualified health workers in their systems as well as community health workers:
Phase 1c
More information is expected soon.
Future phases
According to the state, COVID-19 vaccinations are available to eligible members of the general public. At that time, you should expect to have access to the vaccine in the same places where you would normally be vaccinated: pharmacies, doctor’s offices, community health clinics, local health clinics, as well as other providers.
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On Tuesday, the subcommittee for the award of vaccines was followed by the federal leadership, and recommended that people older than 65, as well as those older than 16 who have certain health conditions, be included in Phase 1B. The decision must be approved by the governor’s advisory group for vaccinations.
How to Plan a COVID-19 Vaccine in Connecticut
For all persons aged 75 and over, information on scheduling a vaccine is now available on the COVID vaccine website of the state.
People 75 years and older can make appointments. Everyone in phase 1b should not yet call or try to schedule an appointment.
Through a provider: People aged 75 and over can register a provider who is ready to distribute the vaccine to eligible residents.
The state says more than 100 health care providers across the state offer COVID vaccinations. Advance planning and registration are required at all locations – no boarding will be allowed.
- UConn Health: Farmington Clinics
- UConn Health has also launched a new COVID-19 vaccine planning line at 860-679-5589.
- Hartford Healthcare: Various locations across the state
- Hartford Healthcare said people can book appointments at Hartford HealthCare vaccine clinics in Wethersfield; Norwich; Shelton; and Hartford. More sites will be added.
- A hotline is being set up where people can ask questions about MyChart: 860-972-4993 or email: [email protected]
- Walgreens Locations: A small number of retail locations offer vaccinations.
- Yale New Haven Health begins vaccinating individuals who are 75 years and older, starting Wednesday, January 20th.
- Appointments will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccine to make an appointment.
- These public vaccination sites from YNHHS begin next week: North Haven, New London, Old Saybrook and Trumbull. A Greenwich website launches the week of January 25th.
- More sites will be added as they are approved.
- Trinity Health of New England plans to plan vaccinations for people 75 years and older at four vaccine clinics.
- Patients can schedule an appointment through the VAMS system or through their Trinity Health primary care provider.
- Patients will soon be able to schedule through MyCare.
- More information is available at TrinityHealthOfNE.org/appointment
Online: People who are 75 years and older, who have an email address and the ability to schedule an appointment online, can sign up through the online VAMS (Vaccines Administration Management System).
Family members can also submit information online for their loved ones.
Many providers can be accessed through the VAMS scheduling system, including:
- Trinity Health of New England (hospitals and other places)
- Griffin Hospital
- Nuvance Health
- Stamford Hospital
- Bristol Hospital
- Local health departments
- Federal Qualified Health Centers
By phone: Those without internet access can call Connecticut COVID Vaccine Appointments Helpline at 877-918-2224. The telephone system was created in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and United Way of Connecticut and is specifically aimed at supporting eligible vaccine recipients who have limited access to technology, or who have language, disability or other barriers that may prevent them from existing use self-scheduling options successfully. The line will take calls from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:30 and offer a callback if all contact specialists are serving other callers. The team will strive to return as soon as possible, with the aim of responding on the same day, but must be prepared for it to take a few days.
A vaccine is not expected to be widely available to the general public until late summer or autumn of 2021.
How to learn if you are eligible
Learn more about the phases and suitability here.
What’s next
Visit the state’s most important vaccination portal regularly for all the latest updates.