The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
CT vaccine access opens wide April 1
Expansion includes all 16 and older
With a significant increase in supply of the COVID-19 vaccine expected, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday he is pushing up the date for all residents to be eligible to get a shot to April 1.
The state had previously planned for April 5, after opening up registrations to people age 45 to 54 on March 19.
The change comes despite an apparent backlog in demand for the vaccine, as many people seeking inoculations continue to have trouble finding appointments.
Lamont also announced Thursday that the state would invest $58 million in federal stimulus money to increase outreach and access to the vaccine to communities with low inoculation rates.
That funding will be used for door-to-door canvassing, calling people directly to set up vaccine appointments and grants to local health departments and organizations such as churches, seen as trusted institutions in the community that can help convince underserved populations to get inoculated.
About 1.3 million people 16 and older will become eligible for the vaccine, Lamont’s office said. But the number expected to actively seek appointments is expected to be about half that amount. Many younger adults have already received vaccinations as health care workers and educators, and an estimated 40 percent are expected to wait or decline.
“It’s going to be a rush at the gate, we know that,” Lamont said in making the late afternoon announcement. But he said Connecticut expects to vaccinate
for the juniors. We don’t know those details yet.”
The cost of the prom, she said, could be subsidized by donations from local businesses and groups, and donations to make that happen are always welcome, Sojka said.
“As far as fundraising goes, we are right now reaching out to businesses to see if they’ll donate, so we have funds to do these things,” she said. “We usually raised money that way for the annual Project Graduation that’s held overnight after the ceremony. We’re hoping people will want to support it. It’s been a tough year on families, so we’d like to help them if we can.”
Project Graduation won’t be held, she said, but Gilbert will have an alternative celebration.
“Instead of having an all-night party, we’re going to have a senior night the night before graduation, with a rehearsal and a party,” Sojka said. “We’ll have a barbecue with awards, games, things like that, and have a fun, early night. Then the kids will graduate the next night. That would be a nice, safe way to do something special for the seniors.”
The school also is discussing having a car parade, similar to last year’s event when faculty members and staff decorated their cars with signs and balloons to say goodbye to the graduates.
“We’re throwing all these ideas around, to celebrate the seniors and tell them how much we care about them, in a safe way,” she said.
Sojka is retiring in June after 10 years at Gilbert. “It’s been so busy and so crazy this year,” she said. “Every day, it’s something new, and I haven’t really taken the time to think, ‘Wow, this is my last year here.’ It’s a new chapter in my life, which is great, but it’s going to be hard to leave. My focus right now is trying to get all of us through this.”
Her senior class, she said, has been patient and offered their own suggestions.
“They just want to be together,” she said. “Last year we held the graduation at Pleasant Valley Drive-In, and I think they all enjoyed it. But they really want to be at the school this year . ... They haven’t been there much, and it’s where they want to have graduation.”
To reach Sojka to help with the prom and graduation activities, email sojkas@gilbertschool.org.