Governor Ned Lamont was administered with his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning.
The Governor was vaccinated at a clinic staged at the First Cathedral Church in Bloomfield under a partnership with Trinity Health of New England, along with 47 members of the church who signed up in advance.
Lamont, 67, became eligible to receive the vaccine last week when the state expanded phase 1b of its vaccination program to include individuals between the ages of 65 and 74.
“I’m proud to partner with our faith community to make sure everyone eligible for a vaccine in Connecticut can access one,” Governor Lamont said in a release. “Leaders in our houses of worship in every community are a critical part of ensuring everyone knows the vaccine is safe, and we are making sure every resident of our state has free access to the vaccine regardless of insurance availability or documentation status.”
“Over the years of my existence, God has used faith healers and physicians to cure pandemics within our communities,” said Archbishop LeRoy Baily, Jr., senior pastor at The First Cathedral. “Through vaccinations, polio, mumps, measles, chickenpox, flu, shingles, and other epidemics have been managed. Now God has provided us this vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic. I suggest that you be vaccinated as I have and put your faith and confidence in God. Get vaccinated.”
“The Connecticut Dept of Public Health is committed to ensuring that every resident of our state can find a vaccine when it’s their turn,” said CT Acting Public Health Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford. “We are working with vaccine providers across the state to make sure that getting a vaccination is as easy and straightforward as possible.”
“Seeing more of our community get vaccinated is exciting and means that we are on the road to getting back to normal,” Gifford added. “In the meantime, it’s important to keep following public health best practices like wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing – that’s how we’ll get back to normal faster.”
Anyone seeking to get vaccinated in Connecticut must schedule an appointment in advance.
For more information on scheduling an appointment, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine. Those who do not have access to the internet can call the state’s vaccine appointment assist line, which is open seven days a week from 8AM to 8PM, at 877-918-2224.