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FRAMINGHAM – The Framingham Public Schools is partnering with the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center for a Moderna vaccine clinic on Thursday, March 18.
“With help from School Committee Chair Adam Freudberg, we are able to offer a limited number of the Moderna two-dose COVID-19 vaccines to district employees on March 18, 2021 with the second dose scheduled for April 16,” announced Superintendent Bob Tremblay to School Committee members and the Framingham Teachers Association leadership this afternoon, March 16.
“We have 100 doses to start and we will continue to expand the offering to more staff as vaccines continue to become available in our community. This is a terrific opportunity for those who have not yet been able to schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine and I thank Mr. Freudberg, the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center team, and the FPS COVID Team for making this possible,” said Tremblay.
The vaccine clinic will be held Thursday at Fuller Middle School.
“The Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center is pleased to be able to work with the Fuller Middle School in Framingham to vaccinate 100 members of the staff. With the assistance of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and HRSA, we are able to reach out beyond our doors to support this very important community effort,” said Stephen J. Kerrigan, President and CEO, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center.
As there are only 100 doses, and hundreds and hundreds of teachers and staff in the district, the vaccine will be prioritized to specific staff and some bus drivers, to start.
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Durham School Services is providing far less than the needed number of bus drivers per its contact, and said about 10 bus drivers would return if they had the vaccine.
Framingham Teachers Association President Christine Mulroney said the staff who work very closely with students are being prioritized.
“Vaccination access for educators and bus drivers is an important component of school reopening so people can remain healthy and more confident, and in turn buildings and classrooms are more likely to remain open. The Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center is stepping up for the Framingham Public Schools by expanding our existing partnership now to provide vaccines. A huge thank you to President & CEO Steve Kerrigan, health center staff, Superintendent Dr. Tremblay and the FPS COVID-19 team for making sure these new vaccine doses are offered to staff as soon as practical,” said District 4 School Committee member Adam Freudberg, who is also chair of the 9-member School Committee.
Teachers and school staff became eligible for the vaccine on March 11.
The Baker-Polito administration announced they are designating four weekend days for teachers, school staff and child care workers to receive the vaccine at the state’s seven mass sites, including the Natick Mall. Those dates are Saturday, March 27, Saturday, April 3, Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, April 11. Up to 25,000 first-dose appointments will be available across those 7 sites.
Mayors, school leadership, and health partners in several Commonwealth cities are provided individuals clinics for their school workforce.
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The first of two Boston Public Schools only vaccine clinics opened Sunday at the Boston Centers for Youth and Families Gallivan Community Center in Mattapan. The City will provide about 200 appointments per day.
Last week, a vaccine clinic opened for Brockton teachers & staff as part of a partnership between the Brockton Public Schools and the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.
The Spicer administration has said nothing about a COVID vaccine clinic for teachers or staff, although the Mayor is holding a community discussion on the vaccine today at 5 p.m.
At the last two School Committee meetings, Freudberg asked Mayor Spicer if there was a way to hold educator and bus driver vaccine clinics either through creative partnerships or state allocations, as Framingham has been designated one of the 20 hardest hit communities by the pandemic.
The Mayor said nothing.
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According to school leadership, the City’s Public Health Nurse had arranged to host an educator vaccination clinic in partnership with Framingham Public School and the Department of Public Health at Keefe Technical High School during the February school break. It was cancelled.
Nothing has been rescheduled.
School districts do not get any doses directly allocated to them, vaccine doses are allocated to the City of Framingham.
City spokesperson Kelly McFalls told SOURCE the “last time the City offered the first dose was February 13.”
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MetroWest Medical Center