HARTFORD, Conn — Hartford Healthcare received another round of COVID-19 vaccines today.
This time, from Moderna.
The Moderna vaccine arrived shortly after 10 a.m. Monday and Hartford Healthcare is vaccinate 10 of their frontline healthcare staff members.
Over the weekend, Moderna's vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the FDA. The vaccine has been proven to be about 95% effective.
Under Operation Warp Speed and through a partnership with the CDC, 20 million doses will be delivered by the end of this month.
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has directed the Connecticut Department of Public Health to add Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to the state’s ongoing vaccination program following a recommendation from the Governor’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group’s Science Subcommittee that it be authorized in the state. The co-chairs of the subcommittee expressed in a report that it has full confidence in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s approval process and has no concerns about it moving forward.
The governor said that Connecticut is expecting to receive about 63,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine this week. This comes in addition to 31,200 doses of the previously approved Pfizer vaccine that have been delivered to the state since Monday, and another 24,375 doses of that company’s vaccine that are anticipated to arrive this week.
Under this first phase of Connecticut’s vaccination program, the vaccine is being administered to healthcare workers and medical first responders, as well as staff and residents of long-term care facilities.
“This is another important step forward in getting this vaccine to as many people in our state so that we can better manage this disease and prevent its spread,” Governor Lamont said. “We’re doing everything we can to get as many doses to the people who need it most, and over the coming days and weeks we expect our supply to significantly grow.”
The Moderna vaccine is administered in 2 doses – 1 month apart from each other. It does not need to be stored in ultra cold refrigerators like the Pfizer vaccine and its shelf life is about 30 days.
Last week Hartford Healthcare was among the first in Connecticut to receive the Pfizer vaccines with over 1,900 doses.
Last Friday, residents and employees at nursing homes received their first doses.