Mass Vaccination Site Opening At Cape Cod Community College

BARNSTABLE, MA — After weeks of requests from state and local Cape Cod officials, Barnstable County is getting a mass coronavirus vaccination site.

The clinic at Cape Cod Community College is being run by Cape Cod Healthcare, as well as Barnstable County and local officials. Cape Cod Healthcare CEO Mike Lauf in a Thursday morning press briefing said the regional consortium was approved by Gov. Charlie Baker Wednesday.

Lauf also said the site is expected to dispense 4,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine next week.

State and local officials on Cape Cod have called for large vaccination sites on Cape Cod because of the difficulty created for seniors and those without cars to travel. Nearly 100 Cape Cod officials signed a Feb. 12 letter to Gov. Charlie Baker calling for a mass vaccination site at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable.

State Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro), said the vaccine site will prioritize older residents and those with health issues first. He said many of those residents were forced to try to find a vaccine appoint at mass vaccination sites outside the Cape, including Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and the former Circuit City in Dartmouth — and many have remained unsuccessful.

Cape Cod residents felt the same way, including Katie DelTorto, who ended up in a coma last year after she suffered heart failure. So far, she's tried finding appointments at the Walgreens in Mashpee and numerous other sites but hadn't had any luck getting an appointment as of Tuesday.

"I truly am scared to death I am going to become a statistic of COVID and die a miserable, lonely death," DelTorto said. "I cannot begin to explain how traumatizing this constant and nagging very realistic thought and fear. I am beyond frustrated that I cannot find a vaccine appointment."

Lauf said state and local officials are working to provide Cape Cod Healthcare with a list of the most vulnerable Cape Cod residents that should be vaccinated at the college first. After that, officials said they will list appointments on the state scheduling tool.