coronavirus in connecticut

As COVID-19 Cases Increase, State Gears Up to Distribute Vaccine

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The state's COVID-19 positivity rate has increased to 6.61% as hospitalizations also increase.

Of over 123,000 coronavirus tests administered over the weekend, 8,129 people tested positive. The rolling 7-day positivity rate average is 6.5%.

Net hospitalizations have increased by 33 over the weekend. There are now 1,183 people in the hospital with the virus.

Governor Ned Lamont said the positivity rate continues to creep up, and Connecticut has numbers just above Massachusetts and New York. Our positivity rate, however, is less than Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

An additional 78 people have died since Friday, bringing the state's death COVID toll to 5,224.

A total of 135,844 people in Connecticut have tested positive for COVID-19 since it emerged in the state.

More than 3.5 million coronavirus tests have been administered since March.

Connecticut is the among the top three states in COVID-19 testing access, falling behind Alaska and Massachusetts.

COVID-19 Vaccine to be Distributed in Connecticut Starting Dec. 14

Starting Dec. 14, 16,000 coronavirus vaccine doses will be administered in Connecticut hospitals, according to Lamont.

Last week, the governor predicted that during the week of Dec. 14, 31,000 vaccines would be distributed. That figure has since decreased.

By Dec. 21, 16,000 vaccines will also go to long-term care partners, the governor said. The number of vaccines being distributed in Connecticut will increase, according to the governor.

The governor unveiled the state's rollout plan for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The governor said he is signing an executive order to expand providers who can administer the vaccine. This will include well-known pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS, but also local, small pharmacies.

Lamont said he hopes 90 to 95% of residents will receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Although, he expects roughly 70% of people in the state will get it.

Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said the state hopes to have distributed enough vaccines to all nursing home staff and residents by the first or second week of January.

Pfizer is expected to ship half of the COVID-19 vaccine doses for this year than it had previously planned after finding raw materials in early production that didn't meet its standard, Dow Jones reported.

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