BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts on Wednesday announced a “streamlined” vaccine distribution plan that directs COVID-19 vaccine doses to high-capacity sites and out of most smaller city clinics focused on cater only to its residents.
The state informed local health boards that it “prioritizes equity and high capacity throughout vaccination, especially because the federal government’s supply of vaccines remains extremely limited.” The plan will increase vaccination capacity for mass vaccination sites, regional sites and pharmacies.
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As of March 1, the first doses will no longer be provided to municipalities that have individual clinics that only serve their residents. This state said it will still make sure to distribute the second doses so that anyone who has their first appointment can be completely vaccinated.
“All the cities around me have been prepared and prepared to vaccinate theirs,” said Tim Grenno, Whitman’s fire chief.
Now cities will have to form a consortium and pool their resources to create bigger but smaller sites.
“This is where Beacon Hill is out of touch with Massachusetts residents,” Grenno said. “Residents over the age of 75 will not travel to mass vaccination sites.”
This week, WBZ learned of cities that had been frustrated by the lack of firing, after last summer they were told they would be at the forefront of vaccine distribution. Scituate ran a 100-dose clinic on Tuesday and those who received a vaccine were pleased with the good process.
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“People get a little frustrated because they call and our response is that we just don’t have the vaccine to administer,” City Manager Jim Boudreau said. “If we had it, we would give it away.”
The state will continue to support regional collaborations open to all Massachusetts residents.
In Marshfield, the town has already turned the fairgrounds into a place for Plymouth County residents. It will now become regional
“In order to be a regional place, we are already a bit regional because we are Plymouth County, now with Secretary Sudders’ new term, we would probably become a state place, but in the South East region, ”he said Marshfield Town Manager Mike Maresco.
There are 20 municipalities that will continue to distribute vaccines because they have had “the highest COVID burden and have the highest percentage of non-white residents.” They are: Boston; Brockton; Chelsea; Everett; Fall River; Fitchburg; Framingham; Haverhill; Holyoke; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Malden; Methuen; New Bedford; Randolph; Revere; Springfield; and Worcester.
MONTH: Massachusetts reports 1,322 new cases of COVID, 55 additional deaths