Greenwich Hospital Prepared To Increase Coronavirus Vaccinations

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Hospital president Diane Kelly said Wednesday coronavirus vaccination efforts in town have been running smoothly thus far and they are "prepared to increase" those efforts depending on how much of the vaccine they continue to receive.

During a press update Wednesday afternoon, Selectwoman Lauren Rabin said 55.1 percent of Greenwich residents have at least received their first vaccination as of Tuesday.

The town still recorded an increase of 52 additional active cases of the virus in Greenwich this week, bringing the total number of active cases to 227 as of Tuesday. The total number of positive cases of the virus recorded in Greenwich thus far is 3,644, an increase of 244 from last week, Rabin said. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Another resident also died this past week as a result of the virus, bringing the total number to 81, Rabin said.

Kelly said the hospital had 35 patients who tested positive for the virus in-house as of Wednesday morning. Of those patients, five are in the facility's Intensive Care Unit and three are on ventilators, Kelly said.

"It's important to just take note that this still continues to be a very serious illness that we are all fighting and battling," Kelly said. "[We're] hoping everyone is considering getting their vaccination."

She continued to emphasize that residents wear their masks, maintain social distancing and wash their hands thoroughly and frequently.

"I think it's really important, because we are at a little bit of a risk [of] people letting go of their guard as more of our citizens in the community are getting vaccinations," Kelly said. "We want to make sure that everybody knows we still have a long way to go as a society and we have to continue those practices. They are what have allowed us to see the lowering of this disease thus far, so I would hate to see us move backwards."

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday vaccine appointment registration will begin this week for Connecticut residents 65 and older, widening the scope of residents eligible to receive the vaccine.

Kelly encouraged residents newly eligible for the vaccine to schedule an appointment through the Yale New Haven Health System, the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) program or through community sites.

"The [vaccination] sites that we have through 500 West Putnam and Brunswick School have gone very smoothly," Kelly said. "We've worked in partnership with the town of Greenwich, and we're very grateful for their participation."

Though the vaccination distribution process in town has gone well thus far, Kelly said the limiting factor is the amount of vaccine available to them.

"Whenever we have the vaccine, we are giving the vaccine," Kelly said. "We have essentially no wasted doses, so I'm very happy with the processes...we're prepared to go up to 1,000 people a day; it all is going to be dependent on the availability of the vaccine."

Rabin said the town's vaccination clinics have also been running smoothly thus far.

"If folks for whatever reason can't make their appointment, they are not wasting any doses [and] calling people who might have an appointment on a different day," Rabin said. "The health department is working very diligently and getting prepped as well for the additional residents that are going to be eligible for the vaccine, so as much as we have the vaccine as well, we'll be ready to vaccinate those who register for it."

Kelly said distributing the vaccine requires those administering it to be thoughtful, have a diligent plan in place and not succumb to pressures to abandon that plan.

"We know we have the long game in view," Kelly said. "By having very specific processes, we're able to not waste a very, very precious commodity. When we have the vaccine, we're going to get that in someone's arm. We have set up processes that we are not wasting any vaccine."