Massachusetts gets ‘one-time’ bump in coronavirus vaccines from feds this week
Gov. Charlie Baker became one of the more than 2.5 million Massachusetts residents to receive at least one dose of the life-saving coronavirus vaccine, a feat he said is possible as the state continues to see more doses coming from the federal government.
Nearly 830,000 coronavirus vaccine doses will make their way into Massachusetts this week, Baker said. That figure includes about 385,000 doses headed to community health centers and pharmacies direct from the feds as well as about 445,000 headed to state-run sites.
Another 42,120 doses will be earmarked for mobile vaccination sites and pop-up clinics in hard-hit cities, which began administering shots this week.
“This week’s significant shipment is sort of a one-time allocation,” Baker said.
As of Tuesday, 1,530,080 people in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated, with just over 4 million doses having been administered, according to state health data.
“Over four million doses of vaccine have been administered here in the commonwealth and today we’ll hit the milestone of having over one and a half million people who are fully vaccinated. We’re making significant progress on vaccinating our residents and we continue to lead the nation in administering doses among all 24 states with more than five million people,” Baker said, touting the state’s vaccination statistics. “And we continue to be in the top 10 of all states for doses administered.”
Baker received a Pfizer shot at the Hynes Convention Center minutes before addressing reporters on Tuesday, saying, “The process was quick and easy and I feel fine.”
Baker, who’s 64, became eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine on March 22 when the state extended eligibility to all residents 60 and older and those with two or more qualifying comorbidities that put them at increased risk of severe illness. But from the beginning of the rollout, the Republican governor pledged to wait his turn — going so far as to chide those who “cut the line.”
“I thought people were justifiably angry when all the folks in D.C. decided that they should get vaccinated first,” Baker said last month during an appearance on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio.” “It’s got nothing to do with virtue anything … there’s a process here and people should obey it.”
Baker said he pre-registered for a vaccine appointment using the state’s centralized sign-up system that connects people with appointments at the state’s seven mass vaccination sites based on availability and a person’s eligibility. More than 1 million have signed up using the software so far.
First lady Lauren Baker also scored her first dose last week with an appointment at a CVS.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2Os45QV
Post a Comment