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Lamont said that the first batch of approximately 31,000 vaccine doses are expected to arrive from Pfizer on Monday, Dec. 14, with an additional 63,000 coming from Moderna one week later on Dec. 21.
To be effective, two doses spread approximately 21 days apart have to be administered.
Lamont estimated that by the end of January, more than 200,000 people will have received two doses, with more than 150,000 receiving their first.
The vaccinations will be administered in phases, with the first going to the state’s 204,000 health care workers, 22,000 residents in nursing homes, and thousands of first responders.
In the second phase, teachers, adults over the age of 65, high-risk subjects, and people in congregate settings will be prioritized, with the vaccination being offered to the general population in the final phase, which is estimated to be around June.
For the vaccination to be effective, approximately 75 percent to 85 percent will need to take it, a figure that is problematic, officials said, because recent polls have found that a large percentage of patients may initially be unwilling to take the shot.
The vaccines come equipped with a GPS tracking device and a thermal thermometer so the temperature of the package can be monitored. The vials come packed in dry ice, and have to be stored at extremely cold temperatures to remain effective.
Each box comes with five trays containing vials of the vaccine, with each holding approximately 195 vials each, good for approximately 5,000 doses in each box.
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