A former member of the Connecticut Medical Examining Board is applauding the new CDC recommendation to include those who are 65 years old in the first rounds of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Joe Kaliko, of Greenwich, says by expanding access to the COVID vaccine to include people 65 and older, the CDC is sending a powerful message to governors like Ned Lamont.

Kaliko, who is 74 and has serious health issues, has been pushing the state's vaccine advisory group to break with the former CDC recommendation, which limited access to people 75 and older.

State Rep. Harry Arora, of Greenwich, also lobbied hard for the change and says the recommendation could save more than 200,000 lives.