SLIDESHOW: Framingham (And Other) Seniors Attend COVID Vaccine Clinic at Keefe Technical

FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the public today, February 6 at Keefe Technical High School.

Inside, the clinic was efficient and run smoothly by many volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps.

There were five stations were seniors, age 75 and older, could receive their vaccine and an observation area to make sure none had a bad reaction.

Outside, Keefe Technical High was a different tale. Many seniors, from all over the Commonwealth were unhappy, as they arrived at Keefe Technical in Framingham only to find that the City of Framingham cancelled their appointment, as they did not live in Framingham.

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The City said the clinic was exclusively for seniors age 75 and older, but that was only after the City’s posting of the clinic went live and filled out within hours.

All 300 slots for the clinic were taken before the City of Framingham ever announced the clinic on a Thursday night in January.

After the clinic was filled, the City of Framingham changed the listing to Framingham only.

A couple of days later on Saturday, January 30, the City went through the list of those who registered on the state’s website for the clinic and began cancelling appointments for non residents of Framingham. That opened up another 150+ appointments for February 6. Again the City never announced the openings.

But when those individuals had their appointments cancelled by the City in the state’s portal for vaccinations, it appears no one ever contacted the seniors individually to tell them that their appointment was cancelled, and the portal did not send out a notification alerting the individual that the appointment was cancelled. many seniors found out that the appointment was cancelled when they show up at Keefe for the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. clinic today.

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The City of Framingham divided people into two groups, residents and non-residents. The City said it would try to accommodate all of the non-residents for appointments, but could not guarantee all would receive a vaccine.

Individuals who live in Framingham were given an date and an appointment for their second dose of the Moderna vaccine.

Individuals who do not live in Framingham, who did receive the vaccine while the news outlet was at the clinic in the morning, were told they must find their own second dose of the Moderna vaccine by visiting the state’s website. The City said they could not give them the second dose.

The clinic was 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

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