CT Announces Major Coronavirus Vaccine Eligibility Acceleration

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut will rapidly accelerate its coronavirus vaccine eligibility with tentative plans to allow all adults over the age of 16 to schedule appointments come April 5.

State officials were informed by President Joe Biden's administration that Connecticut would get a significant increase in vaccine supply at three federal vaccine sites over the next several weeks.

Scheduling will open to people between the ages of 45 and 54 on March 19. The state will work with providers to accelerate access for medically high-risk individuals under 45 during April.

“We have some of the best and most dedicated providers in Connecticut who have been working around-the-clock to create the infrastructure that will provide vaccines to as many residents as we can as quickly as possible,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. “Based on our discussions with the federal government regarding vaccine allocation, we anticipate receiving more than 200,000 first doses per week by early April."

It will still take some time to get the vaccine to anyone who wants it, but the number of vaccines administered per day will considerably increase over the next several weeks, Lamont said.

“Thanks to the tremendous work of our vaccine providers, the efforts of the federal government to increase the supply of vaccines to the states, and the decision of the governor to stick with an age-based system, Connecticut has made tremendous progress in vaccinating our residents quickly, efficiently, and equitably,” said state Acting Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford.

Lamont announced last week that the state would accelerate its general eligibility rollout, but the news Monday moves up the timetable even quicker. The original age-based eligibility system had a target date in early May for adults between 16 and 34 years old.

Connecticut switched to an age-based eligibility system instead of moving to frontline essential workers and people with high-risk medical conditions, which is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended. Lamont said focusing on age would lead to less confusion and more efficiency with the vaccine rollout.

Connecticut typically ranks among the top five states for per capita vaccinations and has received praise from both former President Donald Trump and Biden's administrations.