BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts announced a “simplified” vaccine distribution plan on Wednesday that targets doses of the COVID-19 vaccine 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 prioritizes equity and high capacity during vaccination, mainly because the supply of vaccines from the federal government remains extremely restricted”. The plan will increase the vaccine’s capacity for mass vaccination sites, regional sites and pharmacy locations.
RELATED: Unifying America: Medford students express themselves in ‘Unity’ poems
From March 1, the first doses will no longer be provided to municipalities that have individual clinics serving only their residents. That state said it would still distribute the second doses so that anyone who made the first appointment could be fully vaccinated.
“Every city around me has prepared and prepared to vaccinate its own,” said Whitman’s fire chief, Tim Grenno.
Now, cities will have to form a consortium and pool their resources to create larger, but lesser, sites.
“This is where Beacon Hill has no contact with Massachusetts residents,” said Grenno. “Residents aged 75 and over will not travel to mass vaccination sites.”
The WBZ heard from cities this week that they are frustrated by the lack of vaccines sent in their direction after being told last summer that they would be in front of the vaccine distribution. Scituate ran a 100-dose clinic on Tuesday, and those who received the vaccine were happy with the smooth process.
RELATED: Unifying America: Arlington Native’s diverse library project reaches all 50 states
“People get a little frustrated because they call and our answer is that we just don’t have the vaccine to distribute,” said city manager Jim Boudreau. “If we had, we would give.”
The state will continue to support regional collaborations open to all Massachusetts residents.
In Marshfield, the city has already transformed the fairground into a drive-up location for Plymouth County residents. Now it will grow to be regional
“To be a regional site, which we are already somewhat regional because we are Plymouth County, now with Secretary Sudders’ new mandate, we would probably become like a state site, but for the southeast region,” said Marshfield Town Manager Mike Maresco .
There are 20 municipalities that will continue to receive vaccines for distribution because they have “the highest burden of COVID 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.
MOST: Massachusetts targets vaccination efforts for 20 communities hard hit by COVID