Baker Says State Ready to Ramp Up Vaccination Efforts

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker says the state is working to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination program.

The governor said that the state’s path back to normalcy is dependent on getting at least 85 percent of residents — or 4 million people vaccinated.

Baker said that all though he is encouraged by the current state COVID-19 trends, the state has more work to do before any more restrictions are eased.

On Monday, the governor announced that by the end of the week there will be 103 publicly available vaccine sites across Massachusetts.

He said those sites accompanied with other clinics such as those at long term care facilities will give the state the capacity to administer 242,000 vaccinations each week.

By mid-February the state is hoping to have the capability to administer 305,000 vaccines every week. However, Baker pointed out that capacity to vaccinate is not the same as shots administered.

“Capacity is what we have the sites, staff and logistics in place to do,” said Baker, “ We are setting up the capacity to administer far more doses than we are currently receiving, or projecting to receive from the feds.”

Massachusetts is also planning seven mass vaccination sites that include the clinics already in place at Fenway and Gillette.  

“These sites will begin vaccinating around five hundred people a day, and some sites will ramp up to five thousand a day pretty quickly, with a total weekly capacity of 76,000 by the middle of February,” said Baker.

Baker reiterated that the capacity to administer is all dependent on the federal government delivering the vaccine necessary.

“We think it’s better to over plan at this point in the process and hope that the feds can get there,” said Baker.

Massachusetts opened up vaccination for all residents included in Phase One last week.

 

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