Dozens of older people who arrived in Framingham on Saturday to receive the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine faced unexpected problems.
The vaccination clinic hosted by Joseph P. Keefe Techincal High School is only available to city residents, but the state’s online scheduling system allows people under the age of 75 to sign reservations as well as people from other communities. I was able to upload it.
Elderly people who did not live in Framingham were told, even though they filled out the registration form at hand They were not eligible to take and their appointment had already been cancelled, According to the mayor’s office.
Kelly McFalls, a spokesman for Mayor Yvonne Spicer, said: “But some people said they didn’t receive the cancellation (email).”
A message requesting comment from the state public health service, which oversees the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, was not returned on Saturday night.
The loss of communication caused frustration for dozens of people lined up outside the clinic. At some point, clinic workers divided the crowd into two groups, one among the residents of Framingham and one from outside the town. Residents were given top priority, but enough vaccine was available to accommodate the other people who were waiting, McFalls said.
“I was able to accommodate many people who said they had promises. I was there until the end and no one was in line,” she added later.
A total of 300 vaccines were distributed at the clinic on Saturday, McFalls said. She did not know how much of those doses were split between resident and non-resident. She said that everyone who received the vaccine was over 75 years old.
Phase 2 of the state deployment plan began last week, and seniors over the age of 75 are eligible for the vaccine. However, state online programs have been criticized for making sign-up tasks extremely difficult for older people who may not be familiar with the relevant technology.
The transition to Phase 2 of vaccine deployment is difficult, and last week several communities Did not receive dose for distribution.. on Friday, The state has opened a call center To help seniors make reservations following widespread dissatisfaction with online scheduling systems.
The clinic could have been able to accommodate people on Saturday, but the city wants people with the ability to travel the state to look elsewhere for vaccines.
“Part of the reason this population (75+) wants to come here is that it’s in their hometown and it’s convenient,” McFalls said. “This is for those who cannot travel.”
