Connecticut residents 16 years and older became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Thursday.
Appointment registration opened at 8 a.m. statewide.
Those 16 years of age and older can now sign up for
a shot.
The announcement was made last month, Gov. Ned
Lamont says thanks to an increase in vaccine supply Connecticut has hit about
two months earlier than expected.
The Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine approved for
16- and 17-year-olds so those looking to register will have to sign up at
clinics that only offer the Pfizer vaccine.
For those who fall into the 16 to 44 age group and
have a serious illness like sickle cell disease, end-stage renal disease, or
are a cancer patient undergoing treatment, or a solid organ transplant patient,
a doctor should be reaching out to them to schedule an appointment.
State officials say that around 1.3 million people
are in the age group.
Officials anticipate around 625,000 people will want
to sign up.
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They say getting an appointment isn't going to be
easy.
However, 100 more pharmacies across the state will
be offering the vaccine, from the big chains, like Rite Aid, to pharmacies at
grocery stores to mom and pop pharmacies.
Officials are encouraging healthy teens and young
adults to hold off maybe a week before scheduling an appointment-- to let those
with pre-existing medial conditions sign up first.
There are a number of ways to sign up to get
vaccinated.
The state hotline, the
VAMS online portal, and various health care system websites all offer sign up forms.