CT Hits Two Important Coronavirus Vaccine Milestones

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut hit two positive coronavirus vaccine milestones in the past few days — more than half of people 16 and older have received at least one dose and more than 80 percent of seniors are vaccinated.

There is hope that strong demand for senior residents will be a canary in a coal mine for demand across the board, Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference. The demand among seniors was stronger than what officials projected months ago.

About 83 percent of Connecticut residents 65 and older have been vaccinated as of Monday.

Around 30 percent of residents between 16 and 44 years old have been vaccinated and there continues to be demand in the age bracket, Lamont said. The group became broadly eligible on April 1 to make appointments.

Pfizer has applied to expand vaccine eligibility to children between 12 and 15 years old.

Connecticut’s vaccine supply dropped from around 288,000 first doses last week to 180,000 this week, mainly due to a reduction in doses from Johnson & Johnson.

Still, vaccine appointments are becoming easier to find and supply is still expected to outstrip demand in a couple of weeks, Lamont said.

Nearly all the state’s Johnson & Johnson supply is being allocated to mobile vaccine vans, state Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said. The single-dose shot also doesn’t need ultra-cold storage temperatures, which makes logistics easier.

Contingency plans are being developed to use Pfizer or Moderna doses if need be for the mobile vaccination vans.

Pharmacies continue to lag behind the state’s goal to prioritize residents of higher-need communities with vaccines.

“A lot of the pharmacies that are providing vaccine are located in our highest [Social Vulnerability Index] communities,” Geballe said. "The problem has been that people who live in those communities often aren’t the ones who are first able to get those appointments in the pharmacy.”

The problem will be alleviated soon as demand drops and walk-up vaccine appointments become available, he said.