Essex, Chester, Deep River Here's Where To Get Vaccines

ESSEX, CHESTER, DEEP RIVER, CT —There are several ways to schedule an appointment to get vaccinated. You can call the 877 number, register in VAMS, schedule directly with your Health Care Provider or register with a pharmacy (e.g., Nutmeg Pharmacy, CVS, Walgreen’s, Walmart). The following information is from a town wide e-mail that went out to the residents of Chester from First Selectwoman Lauren Gister:

The CT DPH has trained specialists to answer the Vaccine Appointment Assistance Line, which is available between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, 7 days a week to assist people with scheduling their vaccine appointment. Please call 877-918-2224 and either wait on the line (for a reasonable period of time or leave your telephone number). The time to receive a return telephone call varies from a few hours to a week and can show as potential spam on your cell phone. Residents calling for help will receive an appointment for both the 1st and 2nd dose.

VAMS - Vaccine Administrative Management System
Completing the registration in VAMS may take 1-2 days while the system verifies your eligibility, so it is important to begin as soon as possible. This is the federal and state government’s preferred method for you to schedule an appointment. To use this method, you MUST create a VAMS Account to get vaccinated.

1. Click this link to enroll https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/OnlineVaccine. Within 12-24 hours, you will receive a link to register and schedule an appointment. The email will be from the CDC, no-reply@envelope.mail.vams.cdc.gov with the title, Please register in VAMS to schedule an appointment. Click on the link and a page, Welcome to VAMS will open. Please select “No” when asked if you have already registered as a vaccine recipient in VAMS.
2. You must have a unique email address or cell phone number for each person registering in VAMS.
3. When searching for an appointment on VAMS, enter 06412 and try first searching for vaccination clinics within a 10-mile OR 20-mile radius of Chester.
4. Our health district, Connecticut River Area Health District (CRAHD) is running a drive-through vaccination clinic in Old Saybrook. This is the closest location for Chester residents.

PHARMACY
1. Nutmeg Pharmacy: Call 860-767-1389 or 860-345-3607 or register at https://www.nutmegpharmacy.com/covid19-vaccine. Click on the link, scroll down to the various locations, choose ONE location and click RSVP. Complete the registration and submit. Someone from the pharmacy will call you to schedule an appointment for an upcoming vaccination clinic. At the moment Nutmeg is prioritizing those on the waiting list who are over 65.
2. CVS: Visit https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine and scroll down to the map and select Connecticut. COVID-19 vaccine is currently offered in 19 CVS locations in CT.
3. Walgreens: Visit https://www.walgreens.com/topic/covid19vac/CT.jsp. Click on Walgreen’s Vaccination Scheduler, click on Get Started, enter your zip code, and search. Click on See if You are Eligible and set-up a Walgreen’s account.
4. Walmart: Visit https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302. Look for Covid-19 vaccine, click on schedule now, and sign in or create a Walmart account.

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
Use the following information to call or search and schedule an appointment through your Health Care Provider:

1. Yale New Haven Health - Call Yale New Haven Health at 833.275.9644, press 2 OR visit https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/vaccine/get-your-covid-vaccine.aspx, verify your eligibility, and answer a series of health questions, AND/OR set-up myChart to directly schedule an appointment.
2. UCONN Health - Call UCONN Health 860.679.5589 OR visit https://health.uconn.edu/coronavirus/covid-vaccine/.
3. Hartford Health Care - Visit https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health.../coronavirus/vaccine AND/OR set-up myChartPLUS to schedule an appointment. For assistance with scheduling, call the Hartford HealthCare Access Center at 860.827.7690 or toll-free at 833.943.5721.
4. Middlesex Health - Call 860.358.7050 OR visit https://middlesexhealth.org/patients-and-visitors/coronavirus-information/covid-19-vaccine to register online with myChart or through VAMS. Login to myChart, click on Make an Appointment, We have sent you a new scheduling ticket. Click on Schedule Now and choose the date/time. Verify profile and insurance information. Confirm the date/time. Residents will receive an appointment for their second dose at the time of the first dose. To receive a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, you must have received your first dose through Middlesex Health. The vaccination clinic is located at 117 Main Street Extension, Middletown.
5. Veteran’s Affairs – if you receive your health care through the VA, contact your primary care provider or watch for their special vaccine walk-in clinics.

Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app.