HARTFORD - Trinity Health of New England announced a joint initiative with the City of Hartford to open up two vaccine clinics.
This will expand access to local neighborhoods in the Capital City.
One of the clinics is located at the Parker Memorial Community Center where they will initially have available appointments for 240 vaccinations per day and those who are most vulnerable will have priority.
Their hours will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"I want to live," said James Watts of Hartford.
Watts, 74, of Hartford was one of many in the room who waited patiently to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Just recently, he said his daughter had a baby who he has yet to see, and he hoped this vaccine will change that.
"I can get around! After the next two three weeks I come back, I can visit. I won’t feel that I might hurt someone, you know?" added Watts.
Also in a similar boat is David Johnson who said he has also waited for this day for a while now.
"To stay healthy, to keep myself protected from others as well and whereas eventually at some point this will be a thing of the past for all of us, but the thing is we all got to do our part," said Johnson of Enfield.
The two clinics opened last Wednesday, and health officials plan to vaccinate up to 640 people per day once additional appointment slots open in the coming weeks.
"Trinity health of New England has administered nearly 50-thousand vaccinations. At our saint Francis hospital clinic alone, we’ve administered well over 25-thousand vaccines to date," said Amanda Safer, director of nursing education & practice.
The second clinic is located at the South End Wellness Center on Maple Avenue.
Their hours are also by appointment only from 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In additional to these two clinics, Trinity Health plans on opening more locations in the Greater Hartford region.
"We have a responsibility during the pandemic to bring the vaccine into local neighborhoods and ensure easy and efficient access," said
Thomas Burke, president of Saint Francis Hospital.
"We’ve been living under the shadow of this pandemic for a year and the way we get out from under it, the way we beat this is through vaccination. Connecticut as a whole has done a tremendous job," said Mayor Luke Bronin of the City of Hartford.
There are four ways to make an appointment:
• Call the 211 state hotline
• Trinity Health's website
• State Website
• Vaccine Interest Form (Hartford residents only)
