Here's When Brookline Will Get The Vaccine

Brookline MA

30 December, 2020

1:08 PM

Description

BROOKLINE, MA —People older than 65 could receive the COVID-19 vaccine as early as February, but the general public in Brookline likely won't receive the vaccine until April under the state's three-phase distribution plan. As of Dec. 29, 1,193 people in Brookline have tested positive for the virus, and of those 77 people have died. "We have received numerous calls regarding COVID-19 vaccinations," Brookline Public Health Commissioner Swanni Jett said in a statement, before referring to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's plan, unveiled earlier this month. As of Dec. 22, nearly 150,000 doses of the vaccine were shipped to the state, and of those 35,618 have been administered. As soon as they arrive, medical workers begin the process of getting vaccinated, per the first phase of the program. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines need to be administered twice about three to four weeks apart. After hospitals, the Department of Public Health immunization lab, and front-line medical workers, the next doses go to the Federal Pharmacy Program and are earmarked for long-term care facility staff and residents. The vaccine timeline and priority list: Phase One (December - February) Clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers doing direct and COVID-facing careLong term care facilities, rest homes and assisted living facilitiesPolice, fire and emergency medical servicesCongregate care settings (including corrections and shelters)Home-based healthcare workersHealthcare workers doing non-COVID-facing care Phase Two (February - April) Individuals with 2+ comorbidities (high-risk for COVID-19 complications)Early education, K-12, transit, grocery, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works and public health workersAdults 65+Individuals with comorbidities Phase three (April - June) General public. Once the vaccine is available to the general public, public vaccine clinics will be available on the CDC's interactive website: vaccinefinder.org. The vaccines will be distributed for free with no co-payments. Mass.gov Read more: Feds Cut MA Coronavirus Vaccine Shipment By 20 Percent ... MA Vaccine Distribution Plan: General Public Waits Until April ...Coronavirus Restrictions, Masks May Be Here 6 to 9 More Months Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.