Covid-19 Vaccinations in Massachusetts
Since the approval of the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines in December, about 67.9 million people have been vaccinated, at least one dose according to C.D.C report on Monday, March 1, 2021. About 25.5 million people have fully vaccinated. Currently number of Americans died of Covid-19 still staggering at 513,000 people since a year ago, when one person died of covid-19 in February 2020.
Bidden administration pledged to have 100 million people vaccinate during his first 100 days in the office, currently there are about 1.82 million doses per day being administered throughout the country.
Phases of the vaccines distribution in Massachusetts
From December 2020 – February 2021 in phase one was designated the priority for clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers. Phase 2 from February to March 2021, four additional groups added to the list of priority including elderly 65+ and older, individuals with 2+ certain medical conditions, residents and staff of low income/affordable senior housing, and other workers including early education/daycare, K-12, transit, grocery, utility, food and agriculture, restaurant and cafe workers. According to the Massachusetts governor website, specific essential workers are listed as below:
Employees across the food, beverages, agriculture, consumer goods, retail, and foodservice sectors;
Meatpackers;
Sanitation, public works and public health workers;
Vaccine development workers;
Food pantry workers and volunteers;
Transit/transportation: Uber/Lyft/ride share services/pharmacy delivery drivers, airline workers, workers in the passenger ground transportation industry (e.g. paratransit for people with disabilities, food delivery, non-urgent medical transport), Massport workers other than police;
Convenience store workers (under grocery workers);
Water and wastewater utility staff
Court system workers (judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, clerks), other than court officers who are listed under first responders
Medical supply chain workers
Workers at manufacturers (including biotechnology companies and those companies that have shifted production to medical supplies), materials and parts suppliers, technicians, logistics and warehouse operators, printers, packagers, distributors of medical products and equipment (including third party logistics providers, and those who test and repair), personal protective equipment (PPE), isolation barriers, medical gases, pharmaceuticals (including materials used in radioactive drugs), dietary supplements, commercial health products, blood and blood products, vaccines, testing materials, laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization supplies (including dispensers), sanitary goods, personal care products, pest control products, and tissue and paper towel products.
Funeral directors and funeral workers
Shipping port and terminal workers
Phase 3 of the vaccination will be available in April 2021 and is expected to open to all general public.
To search for available appointments, visit: vaxfinder.mass.gov
Appointments at Lowell General Hospital’s vaccine site at 1001 Pawtucket Blvd. can be made online at: www.lowellgeneralvaccine.com
You also can go to Center Disease Control website to plan your own vaccine available in your state at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/distributing.html
