BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts on Wednesday announced a “streamlined” vaccine distribution plan that targets COVID-19 vaccine doses to high-capacity locations and away from most smaller city clinics focused on serving only their residents.
The state informed local health councils that it “gives priority to equity and high capacity throughout vaccination, especially as the supply of vaccines from the federal government remains extremely constrained.” The plan will increase vaccination capacity for mass vaccination sites, regional sites and pharmacy locations.
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As of March 1, the first doses will no longer be provided to municipalities that have individual clinics that serve only their residents. The state said it would continue to make sure to distribute the second dose so that anyone who had their first meeting could be fully vaccinated.
“Every city around me has prepared and is ready to vaccinate theirs,” said Whitman Fire Chief Tim Grenno.
Now cities will have to form a consortium and pool their resources to create larger but fewer sites.
“This Beacon Hill has nothing to do with the people of Massachusetts,” Grenno said. “Residents aged 75 and over will not travel to mass vaccination sites.”
WBZ learned from the cities this week that it was frustrated by the lack of shootings, after being told last summer that they would be in front of the distribution of vaccines. Scituate ran a 100-dose clinic on Tuesday, and those who received a vaccine were pleased with the smooth process.
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“People get a little frustrated because they call, and our answer is that we just don’t have the vaccine to give,” said city manager Jim Boudreau. “If we had it, we would give it.”
The state will continue to support regional collaborations that are open to all Massachusetts residents.
In Marshfield, the town has already turned the fairgrounds into a parking lot for Plymouth County residents. It will now become regional
“To be a regional site, which we are already somewhat regional to because we are Plymouth County, now with Secretary Sudders’ new term, we would probably become a state site, but for the South East,” said Marshfield Town Manager Mike Maresco.
There are 20 municipalities that will continue to receive vaccines to be distributed because they have had “the highest burden of COVID and have the highest percentage of non-white residents.” These are: Boston; Brockton; Chelsea; Everett; Fall River; Fitchburg; Framingham; Haverhill; Holyoke; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Malden; Methuen; New Bedford; Randolph; Worship; Springfield; and Worcester.
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