Gov. Lamont Gets First COVID-19 Vaccine Today

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Governor Ned Lamont rolled up his sleeve to get his first COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday morning.

Governor Lamont had received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

State officials said Lamont got his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a clinic at the First Cathedral Church in Bloomfield.

Lamont, who is 67 years old, became eligible to receive the vaccine last week when the state expanded Phase 1b of the vaccination program. Phase 1b now includes residents aged 65 to 74.

At the clinic, city and state officials urged communities of color to participate in getting the vaccine.

As of last week before the holiday weekend, State Rep. Bob Gibson said just over 8 percent of people of color received the vaccine in the state. He said people of color are hesitant to get the vaccine and the state has to do better.

Lamont echoed what Gibson said and added that communities of color are the people who are getting left behind and are those who are most likely to suffer worse complications from COVID-19.

NBC CT went to one local mass vaccination clinic to see how the first day went of eligibility for residents 65 and older.

According to Lamont, the state is going to bring the vaccine to those communities and convince them how important it is. Faith leaders are also helping in those communities by reminding people that the vaccine is safe and how it's important for yourself and your community, Lamont added.

Lamont said one of the reasons infections and hospitalizations in the state are going down and fatalities are beginning to decline is because of the vaccine.

Who Can Get a COVID-19 Vaccine in Connecticut?

Note: To get a vaccine in Connecticut, you must either live or work in the state. If you typically visit a provider here but do not live or work in Connecticut, you are not eligible and must get vaccinated in your home state.

How to Sign Up for An Appointment if You're Eligible

By phone: Call Connecticut’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for scheduling at select sites.

Online: Schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in VAMS, the Vaccine Administration Management System.

  1. Fill out the form to let the Department of Public health know you are interested in creating an account in VAMS. If you are currently eligible to receive the vaccine then you should receive an email from VAMS to complete your registration within 12 hours. Click here to create an account.
  2. Check for an email from no-reply@mail.vams.cdc.gov. Click on the link in the email and create your account. You will be prompted to retrieve a code that will be emailed to you. You will need to create a password and store it in a safe place.
    • If you forgot your password, the "forgot password" link on the login page can only be used if you have created a password as part of your VAMS registration.
  3. Complete your VAMS registration.
    • The first question that will be asked in VAMS is “Have you already registered as a vaccine recipient with VAMS?” The answer to this question is “No.”
    • Questions with a red asterisk are mandatory. 
    • Insurance information does not need to be entered.
    • You will be prompted to share some additional information about yourself.
    • In order for VAMS to recognize your option chosen for race, click on your choice in the box on the left and click the right-pointing arrow to move your choice to the box on the right.
  4. Use your zip code to search for clinics near you in VAMS.
    • The system will automatically search for clinics within a 10-mile radius of your zip code, but you may choose up to 100 miles from the dropdown menu, which might provide more clinic locations in your search results.
    • You might need to check multiple clinic locations to find an available appointment. Find a slot that works for you, and book your appointment.
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