Baker: More shots headed this way
Should allow more people to get appointments
A boost in coronavirus vaccine supply from the federal government to Massachusetts will deliver approximately 330,000 doses to the state for shots in residents’ arms.
Next week, the state expects a bump of 40,000 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson oneshot vaccine, which Gov. Charlie Baker called “great news” during a coronavirus update Thursday at the State House.
“We’re starting to see an increase in doses provided by the federal government, which has allowed us to continue opening up our eligibility categories,” Baker said.
Next week’s supply boost will also include a one-time allocation of 20,000 Pfizer first doses, the administration said.
“But we still see a constrained supply with respect to the demand we have and the capacity we have to put shots in people’s arms,” Baker said, noting it could take “several weeks” for people currently eligible to find appointments.
About a quarter — or roughly 10,000 — of the Johnson & Johnson shots coming next week will be earmarked for hard-to-reach homebound residents, Health Secretary Marylou Sudders said.
Baker on Thursday announced a new program working with local boards of health to get shots into the arms of an estimated 25,000 residents who are homebound — which the state defines as needing the assistance of two or more people to leave the home.
People who cannot easily access any of the more than 170 sites across the state will be eligible for at-home vaccinations beginning Monday, Baker said.
The program is designed for individuals who have considerable difficulty and or require significant support to leave the home for medical appointments,” Sudders said. She noted local boards of health are one of several partners helping to vaccinate homebound residents.
Homebound residents of the state can get more information about the effort by calling 844771-1628.
More than 1.1 million individuals are fully vaccinated in Massachusetts and over 2 million individuals have received at least their first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, said Baker.
The governor also announced $100 million in additional funding for four communities — Chelsea, Everett, Methuen and Randolph — he said received “significantly smaller levels” of funding in the recently passed $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act compared to other communities.