Stamford Preparing To Vaccinate Young Residents

STAMFORD, CT—The City of Stamford is preparing to inoculate young residents following the Food and Drug Administration's authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for those age 12-15 earlier this week.

Mayor David Martin gave his weekly COVID-19 update on Tuesday night, and said that vaccinations for those age 12-15 are likely to be available as soon as Thursday, May 13, at the Elmcroft and Lord & Taylor super-sites in Stamford.

Dr. Gerald Rakos from Stamford Hospital said vaccinating this age group is vital in the fight against COVID-19. He noted that 85% of the country's population is now vaccine eligible.

"We're really getting to the point where we can get these numbers up to get to herd immunity or close to that," Rakos said. "If we don't get good penetration on this age group, it's leaving a huge swath of the population that's still susceptible and non-immune."

Rakos said he understands that there will be parental anxiety, and those who are hesitant about getting their children vaccinated should talk to their pediatricians.

"But there's a lot of experience with vaccines in kids. We've really impacted many, many diseases tremendously with vaccines," he said.

Life can begin to return to normal if more people get shots in the arm, especially children.

"Certainly [kids'] lives will return to normal to a certain extent, with camp, school sports teams, and maybe even dropping mask-wearing in certain situations," Rakos said.

Assistant Superintendent of Stamford Public Schools, Dr. Michael Fernandes, said the district is working with the Stamford Department of Public Health and Community Health Centers to develop an inoculation plan. For a COVID-19 update on SPS, click here.

In Stamford, vaccination rates by age group are as follows:

65-plus: 84% are fully covered, 12% have received one dose, and 4% have no coverage at all.
45-64: 59% fully covered, 19% first dose, 22% no coverage.
15-44: 23% fully covered, 28% first dose, 49% no coverage.

As a whole, 55% of Stamford's population has received one dose as of May 5.

Martin said that the city is currently experiencing 12 cases per day on a 14 day moving average. A year ago, that number was 49.

As of May 11, there were six COVID-19 patients hospitalized, with one in the Intensive Care Unit.

City of Stamford Awarded Major COVID-19 Vaccination Grant

The city's Department of Health is receiving a $1.8 million grant to provide outreach and additional support activities related to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout to vulnerable populations. Stamford is one of a select group of cities in the state to receive this grant funding.

This grant is part of the state Department of Public Health’s Vaccine Equity Partnership Fund (VEPF) program to support increasing vaccination efforts within municipalities designed as having high social vulnerable indexed neighborhoods.

The Department of Health is partnering with Community Health Centers, Inc., Family Centers, Inc., and Stamford Health to increase the opportunities for walk-up vaccinations and to perform door-to-door canvassing and education to increase access to communities of color, vulnerable populations, those with limited English proficiency, and those living at the margins of the economy.

"[We have this money now] to really focus on the next four months to address vaccinations in these areas where we need to get vaccination rates up," said Stamford Director of Health, Dr. Jennifer Calder.

Martin urged residents to get the vaccine and set an example for others so that the pandemic can finally end.

"We're nearing the end of this I hope, provided we can get the vaccine out. Continue to be safe, be a model for others, and encourage everyone to get that vaccination," he said. "It is safe and it is effective, and we can push back this disease and stop the death and terrible pain and loss that comes from coronavirus."

For more information on COVID testing and vaccination sites in Stamford, go to stamfordct.gov.