COVID-19 Vaccines to be Distributed in Connecticut as Early as Monday: Governor

Governor Ned Lamont announced that COVID-19 vaccines will start being distributed to health care workers and long-term care facilities in Connecticut as early as Monday.

The announcement comes after Connecticut's COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group's Science Subcommittee submitted recommendations to the governor that the vaccine should be distributed as soon as possible.

Lamont is ordering the CT Department of Health to make all necessary preparations in order for the vaccine to be received as early as Monday, along with being distributed and allocated shortly thereafter.

Upon receiving recommendations from the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group Science Subcommittee, I've directed @CTDPH to make all necessary preparations for the vaccine to be received in CT as early as Monday and distributed to healthcare institutions and long-term care facilities.
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) December 13, 2020

The state placed its first order for 31,200 vaccines on Friday, Dec. 4, and it is anticipated that the vaccines will be delivered to hospitals starting as soon as Monday, the governor said.

“Here in Connecticut, we are incredibly proud to be able to say that the Pfizer team in Groton helped to develop this first vaccine to fight the coronavirus which we know will help to get our communities back to normal," Lamont said in a statement.

"I take these recommendations seriously, and I thank everyone involved with our advisory group for their hard work and dedication to this important cause," he continued.

Vaccine distribution at Walgreens and CVS is expected to begin Monday, Dec. 21. Long-term care facilities across the state have agreements with these pharmacies, according to Lamont.

We all share the hope and relief w/ good news of vaccine distribution. But we need to remember: we’re still in the thick of the virus. Wear a mask, watch your distance, wash your hands to save lives.

From @GovNedLamont’s announcement to start the vaccine rollout in our state: pic.twitter.com/QTq2qE223S
— Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (@LGSusanB) December 13, 2020

The recommendation came after the subcommittee reviewed all available scientific and trial data from the FDA, the FDA's Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, clinical trial information provided by Pfizer and BioNTech and peer-reviewed scientific publications about the vaccine and its clinical testing, according to the governor.

“During a trying year for our state, this recommendation is an important step toward our community having the ability to fight COVID-19 and return our society and institutions to normal. This was a rigorous, time-intensive process meant to understand the science behind the development of the vaccine, and provide confidence to Connecticut residents that our entire advisory group was working to make the best recommendations in the interests of public health," said the co-chairs of the CT COVID-19 Advisory Group, Dr. Deidre Gifford and Dr. Reginald Eadie.