Baker slams politicians who ‘cut the line’ for vaccine
Congressional staffers and others who “cut the line” ahead of high-risk essential workers and vulnerable seniors were called out by Gov. Charlie Baker for their vaccine piggishness.
“I don’t understand why a lot of the people who cut the line, cut it,” Baker said in response to a Herald reporter’s question at a Wednesday press conference. “I
just don’t.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me, and I think it’s inconsistent with the message we’ve all tried to send on this, which is while we recognize and understand everyone would like to be vaccinated today, there are some people who are at a far higher risk,” he said, adding that those individuals should be prioritized.
The head of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council also blasted those getting the vaccine early.
“Once again, those who have influence and means go ahead of the people in need,” Mass Senior Action Council President Edna Pruce wrote to the Herald. “Once again, we see health
care is distributed rather than provided. Once again, we see elected ‘ leaders’ taking — instead of serving.”
Baker on Wednesday also reiterated his promise that he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will not get the shot early.
“We believe that while we work a lot, we are not — from our point of view — worthy of cutting the line,”
Baker said.
The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to congressional staff members after many representatives and senators received their first doses. This week, Congress’ attending physician announced that there’s a limited supply of the vac
cine available for staff members.
“The Office of Attending Physician is prepared to vaccinate two staff members from each Member’s personal office, and four from each Committee Chair and four from each Ranking Minority Mem
ber,” Dr. Brian Monahan wrote in a memo.
“The number of COVID19 vaccine doses provided to the Congress reflects a fraction of the first tranche of vaccines that have been distributed throughout the country,” he wrote.
Massachusetts congressional staffers have reached out to the physician’s office for further guidelines and recommendations on this policy.
Some Bay State elected officials have already gotten the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, including U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark, Ayanna Pressley and James McGovern.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also received the vaccine,
as did former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, now a U.S. senator from Utah.
A spokeswoman for Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch has told the Herald that he is “waiting for the vaccines to be first offered to health care personnel, first responders and vulnerable seniors” in his district.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has slammed those in the House and Senate who are getting the shot early.
“Congress has literally done nothing these last eight months. Now they are cutting the line and getting the vaccine ahead of residents in Long Term Care, nurses, and essential workers who stock our shelves,” Sununu tweeted. “It’s outrageous. And insulting.”