President’s Message – January 2021

Our supporters have been reaching out to us over the last few weeks, seeking guidance about the COVID-19 vaccines. We are honored by your trust and confidence in Bridgeport Hospital as we move together into this potentially transformative stage of the pandemic response.

Since the hospital received its first doses of the vaccine in mid-December, our top priority has been to inoculate our healthcare heroes so that we may continue to care for you and all of our patients as safely as possible. To date over 4,700 employees have received at least their first dose, so please do not delay either your routine or specialty medical appointments. Our world-class care has never been safer!

Many in our community are still wondering about the safety of the COVID vaccines. Dr. Greg Buller, chair of the department of medicine and Dr. Magna Dias, chair of pediatrics, recently recorded a video message that emphasizes the “why” of vaccination and addresses some of the hesitancy. As we have learned throughout the pandemic, education that is based on science versus opinion is critical. Please share this recording with your friends and family members who may have concerns. You can view it here. 
On February 4, Dr. Buller and hospital President Anne Diamond will serve as panelists in a virtual Town Hall: “COVID-19 Vaccine: The Facts vs. Fiction”.  You can view the flyer with the details of that event here. We hope you will join us!

At this time, Connecticut has restricted vaccine eligibility to individuals that are 75 and older. Yale New Haven Health offers a website for eligible people to schedule vaccinations at http://www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccine. Today the Parsons Center in Milford opens as our system’s sixth mass vaccination site as well as several smaller ones.  Appointments are limited right now due to the state’s vaccine supply but we hope and expect the number to grow in the coming weeks along with supply. 

You may sign up to receive an email notification when you become eligible for the vaccine at https://www.bridgeporthospital.org.

Please continue to reach out to us with your questions and we will do our best to keep you updated on our community vaccination plans.