Essential workers, racial equity advocates, and those with pre-existing medical conditions were all angered by the state’s decision to change the vaccine rollout to a strictly age-based system. But state officials are sticking by their decision, and they say this new plan will be the best way to protect the most people the fastest and, in the process, save lives.

Josh Geballe, the chief operating officer for Connecticut, has been spearheading this vaccine effort. He joins me to talk about the reasons for the state’s shift in plans, how Connecticut is addressing the questions of vaccine equity, the rollout for educators in an effort to open all schools, and how the state plans to administer new “one-shot” vaccines now being made available.

John is CT Mirror's Director of Events. A well-known and highly-regarded radio personality and moderator, he divides his time between CT Mirror — where he heads up our events program and serves as a multi-platform consultant — and the NPR / PRI program Science Friday. Previously, John was executive editor of the New England News Collaborative and the host of NEXT, a weekly program about New England. He also appeared weekly on The Wheelhouse, WNPR’s news roundtable program. His 25 years in public media also include serving as vice president of news for Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, host of WNPR’s Where We Live, and regular fill-in host for the PRI program Science Friday in New York. He was twice recognized by PRNDI as America’s best public radio call-in show.