Essential workers, racial equity advocates, and those with pre-existing medical conditions were all angered by the state’s decision to change the vaccine rollout to a strictly age-based system. But state officials are sticking by their decision, and they say this new plan will be the best way to protect the most people the fastest and, in the process, save lives. 

Josh Geballe, the chief operating officer for Connecticut, has been spearheading this vaccine effort. He joins me to talk about the reasons for the state’s shift in plans, how Connecticut is addressing the questions of vaccine equity, the rollout for educators in an effort to open all schools, and how the state plans to administer new “one-shot” vaccines now being made available.

<a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/23/grocery-store-workers-disgusted-with-lamonts-new-covid-19-vaccine-policy/">Essential workers</a>, <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/24/members-of-cts-vaccine-advisory-group-surprised-by-lamonts-new-vaccine-rollout-plan-contemplate-path-forward/">racial equity advocates</a>, and those with <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/25/people-with-disabilities-were-next-in-line-for-covid-vaccine-then-the-plan-changed/">pre-existing medical conditions</a> were all angered by the state&rsquo;s <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/25/governor-says-frustrations-with-vaccine-rollout-should-be-with-cdc-guidelines/">decision to change the vaccine rollout</a> to a strictly <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/22/breaking-with-national-recommendations-lamont-says-connecticuts-vaccine-rollout-will-now-be-prioritized-by-age/">age-based system</a>. But state officials are <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/23/lamont-committed-to-his-age-based-standard-on-covid-vaccinations/">sticking by their decision</a>, and they say this new plan will be the best way to protect the most people the fastest and, in the process, save lives.&nbsp;
Josh Geballe, the chief operating officer for Connecticut, has been spearheading this vaccine effort. He joins me to talk about the reasons for the state&rsquo;s shift in plans, how Connecticut is addressing the <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/25/black-and-hispanic-residents-continue-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-at-lower-rates-than-white-residents/">questions of vaccine equity</a>, the <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/26/ct-teachers-are-expected-to-get-vaccinated-for-covid-at-local-clinics-but-other-options-could-cause-problems/">rollout for educators</a> in an effort to<a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/03/02/will-getting-teachers-vaccinated-get-students-back-in-school-full-time-it-might-not-be-that-easy/"> open all schools</a>, and how <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/03/01/lamont-urges-patience-as-residents-flood-online-phone-systems-in-search-of-covid-vaccine-appointments/">the state plans to administer</a> new &ldquo;one-shot&rdquo; vaccines now being made available.

Welcome to Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast, hosted by John Dankosky. Our goal is to foster meaningful conversations with newsmakers and the journalists who cover them. We're planning to dig into Connecticut's biggest stories in policy and politics. Let's get started.

Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast

Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast, hosted by John Dankosky, aims to foster meaningful conversations with newsmakers and the journalists who cover them. Each episode, we dig into Connecticut's biggest stories in policy and politics.

Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast, hosted by John Dankosky, aims to foster meaningful conversations with newsmakers and the journalists who cover them. Each episode, we dig into Connecticut's biggest stories in policy and politics.

Advertisement