With more than half of Newtown’s residents over age 75 completing at least a first round of COVID-19 vaccinations, town officials are following the state’s lead by opening up pre-registration options for residents over age 65 through the town website.

Newtown residents over age 65 who are not internet savvy are invited to get in-person assistance with the process according to the text of a CodeRED message being readied Monday, February 8, by First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.

“If you are 65 or older and do not have internet access please call the Senior Center at 203-270-4310 and they will assist you — all responses will be treated as confidential,” the message text states.

Health District Director Donna Culbert told The Newtown Bee Monday that anyone preregistering through the local website by clicking on the red banner message at newtown-ct.gov will be entered into the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) as long as they have an e-mail address.

Those who do not will be added to a list and receive a phone call from Newtown Health District or its designee once a vaccine appointment becomes available.

“They’re preregistering to get the call, not for a specific appointment,” Culbert reminded residents. If they are able to register through that more global VAMS system, residents may very well get access to a choice of vaccine opportunities before a Newtown vaccine clinic can serve them, she also noted.

“With the opening up of preregistrations to folks 65 and over, we’re going to see demand continuing to outpace supply — likely for weeks,” Culbert said, adding that it may be several more weeks before all eligible residents over age 75 who are already in the system are served either locally or at another in a growing network of vaccine centers opening in the area and statewide.

“Anyone who is willing and able to travel some distance will probably get their vaccine sooner than if they wait for a spot in Newtown,” the health official said.

Newtown has been, and is expected to continue, receiving 100 to 200 vaccinations per week for at least the foreseeable future. Health officials will communicate any changes and upgrades to those number as they happen, using information sources including The Newtown Bee.

In his CodeRED message Monday Rosentha said in part, “I know I speak for all of you in wishing that things were moving faster, but they are moving forward nonetheless and the vaccination statistics for our community bear that out and reassure my belief that we won’t have to wait much longer.”

By last Friday, Newtown had completed four of five scheduled clinics at either the community center or the senior center, with more planned for this week. One day earlier, Governor Ned Lamont said in a press briefing that Connecticut had administered the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to nearly half of all residents age 75 and older.

Nearly 460,000 doses have been administered, with 358,000 first doses and 101,000 second doses. Connecticut’s vaccination effort consistently has ranked among the top five of all states, based on the percentage of administered doses.

Its mass vaccination program is a hybrid, with a centralized online appointment system and regional vaccination centers, as well as efforts overseen by local and regional public health districts.

Lamont said the state’s allocation of doses is increasing by 17 percent this week, and Pfizer is ramping up production of its vaccine. Everyone 75 and older should have access to the vaccine by mid-February, the governor said.

The state is expanding its telephone vaccine appointment system to seven days a week and adding another 125 people to answer them in anticipation of the next wave of residents eligible for the COVID vaccine.

In a press release February 5, the state Department of Public Health announced that the phones will be open from 8 am to 8 pm. With the additional staff, they can book up to 10,000 appointments per week at 12 locations.

The phone number to call for vaccination scheduling is 877-918-2224. DPH is partnering with the United Way of Connecticut, which operates the Vaccine Appointment Assist Line.

Additional information about vaccinations is available online at ct.gov/covidvaccine.