West Hartford Opens Vaccine Information Line

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Beginning Monday residents who have questions about obtaining a coronavirus vaccine can now call for assistance.

Town officials said they "saw a need" for an information line after receiving a number
of inquiries from eligible recipients in "Phase 1b, Connecticut residents age 75 and older."

West Hartford’s Information Line is 860-561-6998.

Library staffers will operate the information line Monday through Friday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.

Staffers will have up-to-date information on existing ways to register for the vaccine and will be able to offer assistance in answering questions about the process.

Residents cannot register for the vaccine through the information line. Instead, the
service is intended to provide guidance and accurate information regarding the vaccination
process.

Staffers will track the types of questions asked so that the town can "address gaps in
information or service."

The call center staff will have information compiled from a variety of sources including
the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District, Leisure and Social Services, Emergency
Management, and the Fire Department.

As new vaccines and service providers come online, the Information Line will be updated.

"The state vaccine registration phone line and website present challenges for some of
our older residents. This Information Line will serve as a much-needed source of information on
how to register and where to go," Mayor Shari Cantor said.

In addition, a newly formed and state-authorized At-Risk Community Health program, or
ARCH, was established in partnership between the West Hartford Fire Department and the
Health District to provide mobile vaccinations to homebound residents who have specific
mobility issues that prevent them from obtaining the vaccine through other methods.

The program will begin operation on Feb. 10.

ARCH is reserved for residents who meet the State 1b criteria (age 75 or older) and
have unusual or exceptional circumstances that limit their access to the vaccine due to the
logistics of transportation and administration at the clinic sites.

To receive a vaccine through the ARCH program, residents can complete the sign-up form:

https://westhartford.seamlessdocs.com/f/ARCH

The Health District will review the form, and when approved, a Fire Department paramedic and a Register Nurse will come to the resident’s home to administer the vaccine.

"We don’t want any obstacles to stand in the way of any of our residents receiving this
vitally important, life-saving vaccine," Cantor said. "Please reach out to our
Information Line or ARCH if you need help."