SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Western Massachusetts lawmakers are advocating for more vaccine doses and distribution centers in rural communities.
Out of the 14 counties in Massachusetts, Hampshire and Franklin rank in the bottom four in terms of cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses. Hampshire County ranks second to last in the state for the percentage of vaccine shipped compared to the county’s population.
While there are currently six total vaccination sites in Hampshire and Franklin counties, multiple lawmakers are working on ways to get the vaccine into more communities.
“For example, mobile sites that can bring the vaccines to more remote or inner-city communities that may not be able to get to the mass sites. For someone in a rural Hampshire county hilltown or in new Salem, or Wendell, we need to get outlets closer to them so they have a chance to get to a vaccine site that isn’t an hour away,” said Senator Lesser.
Senator Lesser was also a huge influence in Governor Baker announcing the launch of a call center to help older residents schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Hoping that more registration will increase distribution.
“The same way open table makes a restaurant reservation or Orbitz or Travelocity or Kayak makes a travel reservation. We know here in western Massachusetts we have a large number of people especially seniors who do not have access to the internet,” said Baker.
Baker also said the state call center will launch this week but did not give a specific day.
