Nearly 1,000 People on Waitlist For Framingham COVID Vaccine Clinic; City To Eliminate That Option

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FRAMINGHAM – There are nearly 1,000 people on a waitlist for the City of Framingham’s COVID vaccine clinic scheduled for Saturday, February 6 at Keefe Technical High School.

On Thursday night, 300 people signed up for the 300 appointments for the Feb. 6 clinic. The City gave no advanced notices of the openings. The clinic is specifically for Framingham residents age 75 or older.

In a press release issued Friday afternoon, the Spicer administration said “While City was setting up the clinic on the State’s website, late Thursday night, individuals who were viewing available clinics, were able to register for the Framingham clinic. Because this is a new system, it was unclear that the appointments would appear live as the City added to the site. At this time, all appointments have been secured.”

When the City first posted the clinic on Thursday night. It said it was for any senior age 75 and older. (Seniors age 75 or older are eligible for the vaccine starting tomorrow, February 1.) But after all 300 slots were filled, the City change the vaccine clinic posting to say Framingham residents only.

But on Saturday afternoon more than 150 openings for the Feb. 6 clinic became available.

Again, no advanced notice for seniors and no communications on the openings.

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The City said in a press release today, “On Saturday, January 30, the City disqualified ineligible registrants from the February 6 Vaccine Clinic at Keefe Technical High School (individuals younger than 75 or who are not residents of Framingham). Simultaneously, the State’s Vaccine Portal released the appointments and notified the first group on the waitlist that there were available appointments on the website.”

Numerous individuals complained to SOURCE and on social media that they were on a waiting list for the Feb. 6 vaccine clinic and never received notification about the 150 openings.

According to the City of Framingham’s Chief Information Officer Kelly McFalls “I understand the notification for the waiting list went out based on where people sat in the waiting list.”

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McFalls texted the City Council today about the City of Framingham’s COVID vaccine clinic.

Subsequently, there were multiple text exchanges. Texts to all 11 elected City Councilor are considered public records.

“There were nearly 1,000 people on the waiting list,” texted McFalls to City Councilors today, January 31.

She also texted that she “talked to the health department last night and we are going to remove the waitlist option for the next Clinic.”

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has said Framingham will receive about 300 COVID-19 vaccines weekly.

It is anticipated the City will hold a clinic at Keefe Tech weekly on Saturdays, with the first one on Feb. 6 and a subsequent one on Feb. 13. The City has not said anything about future clinic dates at this time.

To register for a COVID-19 vaccine in Framingham or in the state of Massachusetts, including mass clinics at Gillette Stadium and Fenway park visit https://www.maimmunizations.org/