Vaccine Information Update For Stonington Residents

From the Town of Stonington:

Currently Vaccinating: Healthcare Personnel, Medical First Responders, Individuals ages 75 and older. Information on how to obtain a vaccine and other questions for those 75+ can be found here. The State projects that vaccines for 75+ individuals will be completed by mid-February, based on current supply projections.

• Individuals between the ages of 65 and 74 should be next for Phase 1b, likely accepting appointments in mid- February.

• Following this group in March, will be the others outlined in Phase 1b (with more specifics on who qualifies in this category coming soon).

Assistance: If you need assistance with making appointments or obtaining transportation, please contact us in the First Selectman's Office or at Human Services. Thank you!

Appointments: The good news is that more providers are coming on-line and appointments are starting to open up. Last week the only available appointments showing in the system were in March; those currently eligible individuals with appointments in March may want to consider trying again to get an earlier appointment, as new appointments will open as vaccines are shipped to local providers often weekly. Please note that you cannot look for an appointment in the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) without canceling your existing appointment.

In addition, healthcare providers who are coming online as vaccine providers are beginning to reach out to their 75+ patients, so individuals may get a call directly from their healthcare provider inviting them in for a vaccination.

Local COVID Vaccination Options

• Ledge Light Health District – vaccination appointments are now being scheduled through their own clinic registration for COVID vaccinations (no longer through the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS)). Visit: hipaa.jotform.com/Neil_nhoward/Feb4Reg. Please note that they are in the process of making further modifications, including a Spanish language and a phone registration option.

• Community Health Center, Inc. – vaccination appointments are scheduled through VAMS. Visit https://llhd.org and enter your name and email address to begin your registration in VAMS. Please note that each person enrolling must have a unique email address. People without computer access or in need of support in languages other than English can call the State hotline at 877-918-2224 or 211. The wait times for assistance on the hotline are very long.

• Hartford Healthcare – vaccination appointments are scheduled through the Hartford Healthcare MyChart Plus System. Please note that the Hartford Healthcare MyChart is different from the Yale New Haven Health System MyChart. You do not have to be a patient at Hartford Healthcare or have an existing MyChart account to sign-up. Visit https://mychartplus.org/mychart/signup. People without computer access can call the Hartford Healthcare Access Center at 860.827.7690.

• Yale New Haven Health System – vaccination appointments are scheduled through the Yale New Haven portal at https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/vaccine/get-your-covid-vacci.... You do not have to be a patient at Yale New Haven Health System or have an existing MyChart account to sign-up. Note there is a new location at Mitchell College, located at De Biasi Drive, New London.

• CVS pharmacy is now accepting COVID vaccine appointments: https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine. The CVS located at 116 Boston Post Road, Waterford. We have been informed that they plan to vaccinate approximately 200 individuals per day in the near future. Please note that you must register for the 1st and 2nd doses during this registration process, and that insurance information is requested; if the registrant does not have insurance, you must provide a driver’s license number, or Social Security number.

Future Phases: Those who will be eligible for vaccination in upcoming phases beyond 1b has not been finalized. Decisions about priority order for all phases will be made based on ACIP guidelines, our State’s allocation subcommittee advice, and ultimately the decision of the Governor. Recommendations are based on multiple factors – including maximizing the benefits of vaccine access, mitigating the spread of the pandemic, and mitigating health inequities. COVID-19 vaccinations will be available to eligible members of the general public likely starting this summer. At that time, you should expect to have access to the vaccine at the same locations where you would normally get vaccinated: pharmacies, doctors’ offices, community health clinics, local health clinics, as well as through other providers Information regarding vaccine eligibility can be found on the State site here, as well as through LLHD.

This press release was produced by the Town of Stonington.The views expressed here are the author’s own.