Massachusetts National Guard members reflect on vaccine mission as they help create Memorial Day flag garden
Massachusetts National Guard members who have been administering coronavirus vaccine doses across the state during the last few months reflected on their mission to save lives as they planted flags on Boston Common this week to remember the state’s 37,000-plus fallen heroes.
After spending the morning vaccinating patients, Maj. Sheila Pinette of the 102nd medical unit in the Massachusetts National Guard looked out at the sea of American flags on the common ahead of Memorial Day.
“I feel like the mission that we have on right now is so important because we’re saving lives, and right here are the people who have gone before us and who have fought to keep us free,” Pinette said in between planting flags.
The 37,342 flags on Boston Common honor every Massachusetts fallen service hero since the Revolutionary War.
So far, the Massachusetts National Guard has administered more than 225,000 COVID-19 vaccines at 16 vaccination sites throughout the state.
“We’re on this mission to save lives, and when you look at all of this, you’re quickly reminded how important that is,” said Pfc. Elizabeth Tobiaz with the 272nd Chemical Company in the Massachusetts National Guard.
“The price of freedom is not free,” she said. “There is a price to pay, and it’s a hefty one at that. All of these people served for that reason.”
The 16 National Guard vaccination sites have been located in Boston, Revere, Lynn, Lawrence, Lowell, Springfield, Brockton, Methuen, Danvers and Haverhill.
Capt. Ann Marie Leifer with the 102nd medical unit called it an “awesome mission.”
“We definitely see the impact of the mission that we’re doing, and it’s rewarding,” she added. “It’s been a real privilege to treat our own neighbors. The patients are really excited to come in and get vaccinated, and we’re excited to see them.”
Planting the flags is a “really nice return on the mission that we’re doing,” Leifer said.
Last year’s flag garden — amid the early months of the pandemic — was scaled down to around 1,000 flags.
“It’s great that this was able to come to fruition this year,” said Master Sgt. Mark Radwich of the 102nd medical unit. “Last year, you couldn’t get that impact that Memorial Day is supposed to have. Now we’re able to have it again, so it means a little bit more.”
The National Guard anticipates that its mission to support vaccination sites will wrap up in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker last week announced that the federal partnership launched in March to expand COVID-19 vaccine doses in the Boston area has concluded after administering more than 300,000 doses.
As part of this effort, the state received more than 6,000 additional doses from the federal government each day to administer at the Hynes Convention Center vaccination site and through mobile clinics.
While federal support from FEMA and the Department of Defense has ended, the state-run Hynes vaccination site will continue to operate into June under the continued management of CIC Health.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3wNhOlB
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