The state on Monday resumed administration of the previously paused Johnson & Johnson vaccine, with 136,000 doses being made available statewide.

Gov. Ned Lamont also announced that more than 50 locations in 26 Connecticut cities and towns will be offering walk-up vaccinations with no appointment required.

And according to state officials, "it's never been easier to get vaccinated." 

All three types of the vaccine — J&J, Moderna and Pfizer — will be available at walk-up and mobile vaccination clinics, giving Connecticut residents the opportunity to choose which vaccine they receive, state officials said. 

“We just want to have the vaccine in front of people that they’re most comfortable receiving, whichever one that may be, to lower and eliminate any barrier that might be out there for someone to get vaccinated,” said Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe during the news conference. “Our goal is to provide choice and easy access for everyone in Connecticut, and we think that providing all three options is helpful.” 

As of Monday, 90 percent of seniors in the state and 66 percent of Connecticut residents over the age of 18 have been vaccinated. As vaccines become even more widely available and COVID-19 case numbers remained below 3 percent, Lamont said it was likely that the state will remove mask mandates outdoors and that senior centers can begin to reopen. 

Lamont said he will likely roll back mask mandates for vaccinated and unvaccinated people in outdoor spaces in line with a mask mandate lift from President Biden.

Lamont also announced a vaccination card will earn you a free drink when bars reopen next month as he announced the launch of a new vaccine incentive #CTDrinksOnUs.

Between May 19 and May 31, vaccinated individuals will be able to show their COVID-19 vaccination card for one free drink — alcoholic or non-alcoholic — with the purchase of food at participating restaurants and bars, Lamont said.

During his news conference Monday afternoon, the governor discussed post-pandemic recovery plans, including how to spend more than $6 billion in federal funding on 95 new programs meant to help in areas including education, public health, criminal justice, housing and workforce development. The funding will go toward initiatives such as helping public defenders and prosecutors as courts reopen and providing free certificate programs at community colleges to help rebuild the workforce and reduce unemployment rates. 

The Department of Education will also be working with summer camps to coordinate free summer camp opportunities for children across the state in an effort to engage students.

Lamont said that just as kids need to reconnect with their peers after an isolating year, so do seniors, and he thinks it is an appropriate time for senior centers to begin opening up, providing seniors with an opportunity to socialize and return to programs they were involved in prior to the pandemic. 

“It’s time for them to be with their friends and now they can be there safely,” he said, noting the high rate of vaccinations among seniors.

Lamont said he hopes high vaccination rates and low COVID-19 case rates encourage people who have not yet been vaccinated to do so, rather than making them complacent.

Lamont said he also hopes incentives, like the free drink program, encourage people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The state worked with the restaurant association to develop the incentive program. Restaurants and bars will be paying the cost of the free drinks. 

“You’ve got a few weeks to think about it,” he said of the May 19 incentive launch. “Don’t let this go to waste, young people.” 

Ahead of an anti-vaccination rally scheduled to take place outside the state Capitol on Tuesday morning, the governor said state officials are continuously trying to encourage all eligible Connecticut residents to get vaccinated. 

“We’re going to continue outreach doing what we can to convince them it’s the right thing to do for their family,” said Lamont.

For more information on walk-up vaccination locations, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine/walkup 

Lamont's office also reported that since Friday 2,167 more residents tested postive for COVID-19 with a positivity rate of 2.8%. Hospitalizations decreased by 42 to 436 statewide while there are 28 people hospitalized in New London County. On Monday, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital reported it was treating 18 people and Westerly Hospital, 3. Statewide, deaths increased by 19 to 8,066.

Sixty-six percent of people 16 and over in the state have now been vaccinated and 90 % of those over 65. 

t.hartz@theday.com