State officials are optimistic that vaccine supplies will soon be at a level that meets demand, Governor Ned Lamont said at a news conference on Thursday.
Connecticut COVID-19 vaccine update
To date, the state has administered 1,258,847 total doses, with 445,231 people fully vaccinated. The state reports that 76% of those over 75 years of age received at least one dose, 67% of 65-74 and 32% of 55-64.
Overall, 29% of all adults aged 16 and over were vaccinated.
The state is encouraging people who have scheduled vaccines in distant places to check for a better time and more doses to arrive in the state.
“I think you will find in six weeks that everyone who wants a vaccine will have that option,” said Lamont.
The governor also said that they are still lagging behind in their goals for the most at-risk populations.
“We still have a lot of work to do when we reach our poorest populations,” said Lamont on Thursday.
The state’s goal is to administer 25% of vaccines to residents of 50 postal codes in situations of social vulnerability, or SVI, while they are now reaching about 20%.
Authorities said they are working with local leaders in different towns and cities on outreach strategies, including mobile clinics set up in senior centers and churches, door-to-door campaigns for people to sign up for vaccines and phone calls to offer a chance people to ask questions to make sure they are ready to be vaccinated.
Connecticut’s latest Coronavirus numbers
The positivity rate for the Connecticut COVID-19 test was 2.36% on Thursday.
There were 31,185 new tests reported Thursday, with 735 coming back positive. There are currently 383 people hospitalized with the virus, a net reduction of seven. Nine new deaths have been reported.
The governor noted that the state has seen a reduction in the number of exams administered, from an average of about 300,000 per week to about 200,000. He also noted that, although the positivity rate is fluctuating in the 2-3% range, positive cases tend to be of younger people with less risk of hospitalization and death.
The briefing takes place at the moment when Connecticut and the rest of the country complete a year since the beginning of the pandemic blockades.
Analyzing strategies to support education
The state is scheduled to receive about $ 1.1 billion in education funds from the American Rescue Plan, money the state plans to invest in three main areas – enhancing learning and summer enrichment, learning for college credit and summer internships . They will also focus on re-engaging students in social activities that they missed out of the classroom.
However, while officials say it is essential to bring students back into the classroom, they say that the level of comfort will be a major challenge.
“The basics of feeling safe when you return to a school environment. In fact, we hope that as educators are vaccinated and more families are also in that space, there will be a feeling of re-engagement as well, as we are addressing social isolation, “said Charlene Russell-Tucker, acting commissioner for the Department of Education. of State.
Funding for mental health initiatives
The state will also receive funding for mental health, which will focus on increases for school behavioral health programs, support for substance abuse programs, funding for the prevention of youth suicide and addressing other needs arising from the pandemic.
Commissioner for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, said the additional funding will allow them to expand existing programs and offer more support services, but it is critical that the public know that resources are available to them. . For more information on existing services, click here.