Worcester Could Take 2 Mass Coronavirus Vaccine Sites: Officials

WORCESTER, MA — State officials are being criticized for a slow coronavirus vaccine rollout so far, but Worcester officials are pushing the state to site two mass vaccination sites in the city.

Worcester City Manager Edward Augusts Jr. told the City Council at Tuesday's meeting he is "aggressively" lobbying the state to put a vaccine super-site in the city — but thinks Worcester could even take a second large site to handle people from around the region.

State officials on Wednesday began allowing people over age 75 to start signing up for appointments to get the COVID-19 vaccine. But the state's map of vaccination sites shows no appointments available in the Worcester area.

The UMass Memorial vaccination site, for example, doesn't have any appointments listed through the end of March. The closest vaccination sites listed on the website maimmunizations.org are in North Adams, Pittsfield and Great Barrington. A mass site at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield was booked through Feb. 2 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Gov. Charlie Baker acknowledged the lack of appointments in a tweet Wednesday afternoon, saying only that residents should "continue to check for appointments, as they will be added on a rolling basis."

The second phase of the state's vaccine rollout begins on Feb. 1, which is when people over 75 can begin getting the vaccine. That group will be followed by people over age 65 and those with two comorbidities. Following those groups, front line workers — including teachers, grocery store workers, public works professionals and other — will get shots.

Augustus said officials have already identified a possible vaccine super-site, and wants Worcester to be prepared for the potentially large numbers of people who will be eligible in phase two of the rollout.

"We want as wide a funnel as possible so when a cohort of folks gets called, there's access, there's availability," he told Councilors.