Corona Virus Update 2/2/21

Hospitalizations in Connecticut are down to 900 statewide today. They maxed out at 1,970 last spring, dropped to under 100 in the summer, and increased to around 1,200 early this winter. 

Our healthcare professionals are mostly vaccinated at this point as are nursing home residents. 

We are hovering around 3.5 to 4.5% positive cases, which is down from a few weeks ago. 

After 85+ year olds are vaccinated, we will move on to 65-85 year olds, then essential workers. 

Whether essential workers are further tiered out has not yet been determined. Our school staff members are considered essential workers. 

We expect our supply of doses to increase by about 16%.  

Key messages & updates from the State of Connecticut

• As of Sunday night, 425,144 doses of vaccine had been administered, including

338,859 first doses. Of the total doses administered, 337,092 doses have been administered at hospitals, clinics, or local health departments and 88,052 doses have

been administered to nursing home staff and residents.

• 45% of our 75 and over population have received their first vaccine dose

• More than 86,000 Connecticut residents are fully vaccinated, having received both

doses of the vaccination

• Nearly all 2nd dose clinics at the state’s nursing homes should be complete by the end of this week.

• Our priority and the priority of all of our vaccinators should remain focused on ensuring that our residents who are at highest risk from severe disease and death from COVID-19 are receiving the vaccine now. All vaccinators should be scheduling and administering vaccine only to the 75+ population and Phase 1a individuals until further notice.

• Our other priority is to ensure that 75+ residents from communities of color, who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, are vaccinated. Starting this week, DPH will be redirecting some of the state’s allocation to locations with large populations of Black and Latino residents in order to address equity issues.

• Anyone who has received a first dose of the vaccine should schedule and receive the second dose – this includes all individuals who were not eligible as either 75+ or Phase 1a but received the first dose.

• Updates have been made to the VAMS system to help providers schedule second shot appointments at the time of the first shot appointment. Additionally, providers can now run reports in VAMS to conduct outreach to proactively schedule second doses for individuals who received their first shot but do not yet have a second appointment scheduled.

• Until directed by the State or your employer, you are not currently permitted to schedule a vaccine appointment, even if you are eligible within Phase 1b.

• Patience remains the keyword: With 1.3 million CT residents in Phase 1b and a limited supply of vaccine from the federal government, it will take time to vaccinate everyone eligible in this phase.

• Continue to mask, social distance, practice good hand hygiene, and limit gatherings to the individuals in your own household. With variants of COVID circulating in the US and the UK variant detected in CT, it is imperative that residents continue to follow these basic public health guidelines and to:

• Get tested if you feel sick or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and self-quarantine if you are positive.