BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration announced a $4.7 million investment to add to the COVID-19 vaccine equity initiative that was announced last week.
The initiative provides support to the 20 communities in the Commonwealth that are most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The administration also announced 11 high-efficiency regional vaccination collaboratives involving local health officials and other regional partners.
Around 50,000 new vaccine appointments will be made Thursday at vaccination locations across the Commonwealth, including Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, Springfield, Danvers, Dartmouth and Natick. CVS and Walgreens will also administer more than 20,000 doses next week.
The initiative will reduce vaccination barriers in hard-hit communities, including Lynn and Revere, and will work with Archipelago Strategies Group (ASG) and Health Care for All (HCFA) to determine the best way to use these funds.
Lynn Mayor Thomas M. McGee said last week that he appreciates the support from the administration. He will meet next week with a representative from the state Department of Public Health to learn more about what the program will offer, specifically in Lynn.
The initiative will coordinate with local leaders and community faith-based organizations to support and strengthen their vaccination efforts. ASG and HCFA will offer communication resources specific to each community, including local residents and organizations with cultural and linguistic competencies. This will provide more opportunities for awareness of the vaccine to distinct populations in each community.
That work will complement the Commonwealth’s $2.5 million public awareness campaign, “Trust the Facts, Get the Vax,” adapting the campaign’s messaging for specific communities and supporting new vaccine locations, including pop-up sites and mobile clinics.
The ASG specializes in grassroots mobilization, partnering with local leaders, community organizations, and media partners to develop community-based solutions, while the HCFA will provide high-touch support for priority communities, including direct service support, community organizing, education, and outreach.
The initiative will provide the support needed to distribute assistance to communities, noting the social determinants of health and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color. Some resources include posters, videos, door-knocking, multilingual advertisements and more.
Residents can go to www.mass.gov/COVIDvaccine Thursday morning to find and schedule their appointments. Appointment availability is limited due to the constrained supply of vaccine doses the state is receiving from the federal government.
The administration also designated 11 new regional collaboratives that will leverage local health officials, regional hospitals and others to deliver high-throughput, efficient vaccination sites for all eligible residents across the state beginning March 1. Collaboratives must have the capacity to vaccinate a minimum of 750 individuals per day, five days per week and meet an administration rate threshold of 85 percent and report doses within 24 hours.
They also must be able to remain open to all residents of the Commonwealth (collaborations may focus outreach efforts toward those who live or work in the area, but must be open to all Massachusetts residents) and provide public links for vaccine appointments on www.mass.gov/COVIDVaccine. Essex County is not included in this collaborative.
