This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
01/14/2021 11:00 PMJan. 14, 2021 – Today, as the Connecticut's COVID-19 vaccination efforts progress to Phase 1B, Connecticut residents who are age 75 or older can now schedule an appointment to get vaccinated.
"Connecticut has recently been highlighted as one of the top states in the country for the percentage of its residents who have been vaccinated against this terrible, infectious virus, and now we are moving to protect a group of citizens who we have experienced devastating consequences from COVID-19," said state Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford). "In the coming weeks, more groups of people will qualify for vaccinations, and my hope and expectation is that the majority of Connecticut residents will be in line by mid-summer. It's been a long year, and this process is lengthy, but it has to be thorough and precise, and we are getting there."
In the coming weeks, Phase 1B is expected to expand to include residents 65 years of age or older, and residents between the ages of 16 and 64 with underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of the virus, in addition to residents and staff of congregate settings and frontline essential workers.
Due to limited supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine, it will take a few weeks to provide the vaccine for everyone who is eligible for this next phase. Individuals must make an appointment in order to receive a vaccine, requiring the online platform signup.
Family members and loved ones can submit an application into the state Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) for residents 75 years of age or older by visiting portal.ct.gov/coronavirus, or by calling the Connecticut COVID Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224, Monday through Friday 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Individuals with email addresses and the ability to schedule online appointments are asked to apply through the website. Family members can also submit information online for their loved ones.
Scheduling appointments may take time due to strong demand for the vaccine, officials said, but the state is increasing its effort to enroll providers and staff. The state expects access to appointments will grow rapidly in coming weeks, especially for priority populations. All information submitted through VAMS or the assist line will be kept private and will only be used to schedule vaccinations. The link also contains a detailed and extensive list of frequently asked questions about the vaccine, helping to ease any concerns members of the public may have.
More than 100 health care providers across the state are offering the COVID-19 vaccine, including UConn Health and Hartford Healthcare, with more locations coming soon. A map of all locations will be made available in coming weeks. Expanded access to the COVID-19 vaccine is increasingly important, especially in high-risk groups, to reduce the severe impacts the virus has had on the state.
While just 13,695 of the state's more than 200,000 COVID-19 infections were among people 80 and over, and less than 27,000 of them were among people 70 and over, more than 5,200 of Connecticut's 6,536 total COVID-19 deaths as of January 13, nearly 80 percent, were among individuals in those age groups.
Reporter's Note: State Senator Christine Cohen represents District 12 including the towns of Branford, Guilford, Madison, North Branford, Killingworth and Durham.