Mayor Provides Update On Coronavirus, Vaccinations In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Mayor David Martin said Tuesday no fatalities as a result of the coronavirus were reported in Stamford during a week for the first time in a while.

During a coronavirus update livestream Tuesday evening, Martin also urged residents to remain cautious as vaccines continue to roll out in the city and to sign up to receive one as soon as possible. (To sign up for Stamford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"We have had no recorded Stamford fatalities this last week," Martin said during the livestream. "I don't recall the last time that we had no fatalities, so at least that is very positive news and I hope we can keep it that way."

According to Martin, Stamford Hospital reported having 20 patients in-house who had tested positive for the virus, as of Tuesday morning, and five patients in the facility's intensive care unit.

"Our hearts go out to them," Martin said. "When you're in the ICU with COVID-19, that is truly a life-threatening experience, and we hope we can get these numbers reversed."

Martin continued to urge residents in need of treatment from the hospital not to postpone or refrain from going to the facility due to concerns regarding the virus.

"The hospital keeps it very safe," Martin said, "and you do not want to avoid treatment for any other serious conditions, whether it's diabetes, heart disease, cancer or any other serious condition. Make sure you still go to the hospital and get treatment. You don't want to die of something else because you're afraid of coronavirus."

According to Martin, 12.7 percent of Stamford's population has received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccination as of Feb. 23, though he did note the city is "still struggling" to get everyone their first dose quickly due to a need for more vaccine.

Michael Parry, Stamford Health's chair of infectious diseases, joined Martin during the livestream to speak about the new single-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, the first vials of which arrived in Connecticut this week.

"We are blessed to have three vaccines now for COVID-19," Parry said during the livestream. "These are the first three of what will probably be a half a dozen vaccines by the end of the year."

For the past couple of months, Connecticut residents have either received the Moderna or Pfizer coronavirus vaccines, both of which require two doses. The J&J vaccine only requires one dose.

"It is slightly different, structurally, from the other two vaccines," Parry said, "but it does the same thing they do."

According to Parry, all three vaccines are 90 percent effective in preventing coronavirus infection for "young healthy people" up to the age of about 60.

For residents over the age of 60 or with comorbidities, the J&J vaccine is about 85 percent effective, Parry said. He also noted the J&J vaccine was studied under "very different circumstances" than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

According to Parry, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were studied early in the middle of 2020, a time when variations and mutations of the virus "hadn't really happened," whereas the newest vaccine was primarily studied outside the U.S. in countries where variant strains of the virus now exist.

"It made it a little tougher, I think, for the vaccine to be quite as robust as the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines," Parry said, "so we at the hospital and the CDC...consider these three vaccines equivalent pretty much across the board."

Martin also emphasized that residents should feel comfortable receiving any of the three vaccines.

"If you've got an opportunity to get a vaccine," Martin said, "it doesn't matter whether it's Pfizer or Moderna or [J&J]; get it now...it works, it will protect you, it doesn't have negative side effects and it will protect your family."

He also encouraged residents to continue wearing a mask over both their nose and mouth, even if they have been vaccinated, and to continue practicing social distancing, washing hands frequently and avoiding large gatherings.

"Be safe and be positive," Martin said. "We are getting closer to the end."