Editor’s Note: This report was posted at 1:45 p.m. It was updated after 2 p.m. when the Spicer administration sent out a press release. Last updated at 3:20 p.m. to fix a typo.
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FRAMINGHAM – Senior citizens, age 75 and older are frustrated that the day registration began for the COVID-19 vaccine few appointments are available in MetroWest, and that the City of Framingham has no vaccine site.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts asked cities & towns to submit requests for COVID-19 vaccines.
Several communities have set up municipal COVID clinics.
When registration opened today, January 27, the closest sites open to Framingham residents were in Marlborough, Newton, & Needham, and most of the slots at those sites were full forcing many Framingham residents to register for vaccines, starting February 1, in far away communities like Springfield or Danvers.
SOURCE emailed this morning the Spicer administration several questions about a COVID-19 vaccine site in Framingham.
Editor’s Note: After this report was published at 1:45 p.m., the City issued a press release to the digital news media outlet after 2 p.m.. The news outlet asked several questions this morning of the Spicer administration (see below for questions)
“I also have a request in to the city about what the status is for a vaccination site. I have not yet heard back,” said Framingham State Representative Maria Robinson. “The state will also not confirm to me whether Framingham has made a request.”
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“I am also overwhelmed with emails frustrated at the lack of a Framingham location, especially those who cannot or do not drive. We are also regularly reminding the administration that not everyone can sign up via a website, although there do not appear to be clear plans on how to sign up if you don’t have an email or a computer. My office can try to help, but the registration process does require the input of personal information. We are pleading with the Administration to put in some phone lines,” said Rep. Robinson.
Mia Ratta Silva posted to SOURCE she “tried all of the surrounding areas, up to a 50 mile radius, no luck, and been redialing a place in Wellesley since 8 am and now lines busy.”
“The whole situation is untenable and unacceptable. I have had people contacting me since midnight about getting a slot. I understand people’s frustrations and know that I share them tenfold,” said Rep. Robinson.
“LeeAnn Arsenault posted on SOURCE “I’ve been trying off and on since midnight. There is nothing. But keep trying. I believe they will open up appointments as shipments come in. Or that’s what I’m hoping anyways.”
Natick has a vaccine site but it is only for Natick residents. Weston has a vaccine site but again only for Weston residents.
In MetroWest public vaccine sites, open to all eligible for the vaccine are:
- Marlborough: UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital – sign up here: https://bit.ly/361gNvq
- Newton: Mt. Ida Campus (UMass Amherst) – sign up here: https://www.holtzmanmedical.org/covid19
- Needham: Rosemary Recreation Complex – sign up here: http://maimmunizations.org/
- Needham: Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates-Atrius Health – sign up here: https://myhealth.atriushealth.org/fr
It is unknown what sites, if any, the City of Framingham wants for a COVID-19 vaccine site for those seniors age 75 or plus, who are the individuals eligible at this time to receive the vaccine.
The City of Framingham held a vaccine clinic for first responders at Nevins Hall in the Memorial Building earlier this month.
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It is unknown at this time also if MetroWest Medical Center applied to be a site for the COVID-19 vaccine. MassBay Community College said it did not apply to be a COVID vaccine site. Framingham State University is hosting a COVID-19 testing site with Project Beacon. It is unknown it it applied for a COVID vaccine clinic site.
Municipalities, hospitals & medical centers, and higher education institutions could request vaccines for COVID-19 vaccine sites.
There are roughly 200,000 individuals in Massachusetts age 75 or older.
In the last 7 days, the Commonwealth has administered 52,239 first dose vaccines and 31,673 second doses, for a total of 83,912 COVID-19 vaccines.
As of January 12, there have been 239,174 vaccines issued in the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth said it was shipped 347,450 doses of the vaccine, as of January 12.
On Monday, the state said it had temporarily halted vaccine shipments earmarked for nursing homes and long-term care nursing sites because so many vaccines are unused.
Also this week, a state public health official warned Massachusetts communities their vaccine shipments would be “capped going forward through February” because the federal government has not made enough vaccines available to the states.
Newly-sworn in President Joseph R. Biden has pledged 100 million doses of the vaccine during his first 100 days.
“We can only move as fast as the federal government shifts vaccines to the Commonwealth,” Gov. Charlie baker told the press during a media briefing.
Presently, Massachusetts has more than 100 vaccine sites, with a capacity to give 240,000 doses weekly. Those sites include Gillette Stadium, and soon Fenway Park.
On Monday, Gov. Baker outlined a plan to accelerate COVID-19 vaccines sites to 165, with a capacity of 305,000 doses per week.
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MetroWest Medical Center