Connecticut is expected to receive over 31,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine beginning as early as next week, officials say.

Almost 32,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine should arrive by Monday or Tuesday.

Saint Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport is expected to get 200 doses and start vaccinating their workers late next week.

Pfizer will ship the vaccine directly to the hospitals and to CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.

The most at-risk health care workers will get vaccinated first on-site at the hospitals on Tuesday.

CVS and Walgreens will distribute the vaccine to nursing homes in two weeks.

Both nursing home residents and staff will all be vaccinated on-site.

Everyone in phase 1a, which includes health care workers, nursing home residents and staff, and first responders should be fully vaccinated with both doses by the end of January.

It's anticipated about 80% of people in the phase 1a category will want to get vaccinated, totaling around 232,000 people.

Gov. Ned Lamont says it will take some time to determine the effects of the vaccine.

Connecticut officials say they will be putting in weekly orders for the vaccine.

Phase 1b will follow phase 1a and consists of around 1.5 million people.

They should be able to start getting vaccinated mid-January.