The two biggest pieces of news coming out of the Thursday evening, March 25 update from Governor Ned Lamont included a move forward of the April 5 date for all Connecticut adults age 16-plus to Thursday, April 1, and the $58 million budget increase for outreach and COVID-19 vaccine access for communities with low vaccination rates.

Citing the continued ramp up of vaccine supply to the state, the governor expressed confidence that the new April 1 date would add to the “big difference” having tens of thousands of Connecticut citizens vaccinated. He noted that hospitalizations remained relatively stable, though with an uptick of 22 more patients since the prior day and ten more deaths.

Many cities in the state, including Newtown, remain in the “red” zone, indicating infections of 15 or more per 100,000 people, and causing the governor to caution that even as vaccination eligibility opens up, citizens must “Keep your guard up,” in the battle to beat the pandemic.

The 38,000 tests administered on March 24, “down a little” form earlier testing, remains a “pretty broad insight into community spread,” said the governor.

A daily test positivity rate of 3.88% on Thursday, down from the previous day, was an indication the governor said later in his update, of the possibility of that rate continuing a downward trend as more state residents receive the vaccination.

“We may have relaxed our guard a bit,” he cautioned, but looked to warmer weather in the next month and lots more getting vaccinated, as a positive trend.

As of March 25, he said that 80% of Connecticut citizens age 75-plus have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and 38% of adults 16-plus have received the first dose, putting the state ahead of the plan for general availability. (It was later clarified that some people in the younger age group have been vaccinated as they are health workers, teachers, or otherwise already eligible.) Because of this accelerated ability to get people vaccinate, bumping the eligibility up four days was made possible.

However, the governor and COO of the Office of the Governor and Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services Josh Gabelle urged the newly eligible to not “rush the gate” on April 1. “Check frequently,” advised the governor as new doses and new appointments open up.

Later, Gabelle said that approximately 1.3 million state citizens would be added to the eligibility list as of April 1.

An initial rush of about 80% of those eligible is expected, about 600,000 seeking appointments.

He encouraged those in the youngest groups, ages 16 and 17, to not rush to get appointments first, as they are lower risk, adding that it is likely a parent or guardian would need to accompany underage youths to appointments.

“Be patient,” he said. With about 200,000 doses of the vaccines expected to come into Connecticut each week now, more appointments would open up.

Hospitalizations of the youngest age group, said Kathleen Silard, president and CEO of Stamford Health who took part in the March 25 update, are a group that tends to do better and tend to not be “critically ill.”

Vaccinations make a difference in saving lives, stressed the governor, and that is the top priority, adding that he believed the age-based prioritization process used in Connecticut had been critical to doing so.

Increased Outreach

The need for the most vulnerable to have vaccine access and need for increased outreach to communities with low vaccination rates, due at times to misinformation and hesitancy, as well as lack of easy access, will be addressed through the $58 million earmarked for that purpose.

Silard weighed in on that aspect, as did State Representative Geraldo Reyes, of Waterbury’s 75th District. Both agreed that programs such as Stamford’s “No Barriers Program,” in which special no-question, no appointment clinics, and interpreters as needed, invite those most impacted by the abovementioned issues, are critical to vaccination success. Partnering with local, trusted groups in the community, said both leaders, along with door-to-door canvassing — funded by the Cohen Foundation grant in Stamford — will hopefully lead to easing vaccine hesitancy and an increase in getting shots into the arms of more people.

“Come back for care,” urged Silard, observing that people have neglected primary health care during the past year. “Make sure people continue to care for themselves,” she said, as the battle against the pandemic continues.

The rollout for increased vaccine access for the most vulnerable and those with disabilities will be clarified next week, said Gabelle.

Being able to convince somebody to get a vaccine and a local buy-in for massive participation in Waterbury, Reyes said, and working with community leaders will improve access.

“We’re not going to be able to convince everybody,” he noted, but had hopes that the small percentage of people afraid to get a COVID-19 vaccine would maybe sit down with a trusted person, such as a pastor. “It’s education, Reyes said. “Simply going out and embracing the community.”

Governor Lamont and Silard also addressed the issue of “longhaul COVID,” patients who have had trouble recovering from the illness.

Silard said Stamford Health is not specifically tracking every COVID patient for lingering effects, but that those effects are being seen. These individuals have care issues that need to be addressed and should not be afraid to seek care.

As there has been only 14-16 months of experience with this coronavirus, the governor added that there is “no idea what longterm effects could be,” and reiterated the advantage of getting as many people vaccinated now as possible.

The use of trusted advocates, he concluded, would be more and more important the next few months for distribution of vaccines.