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Local and state officials continue collaborative COVID-19 vaccine clinic discussions

FITCHBURG – Dialogue on where to establish a collaborative COVID-19 vaccine clinic site continued at a virtual meeting hosted by the city Thursday with state Sen. John Cronin, state Rep. Michael Kushmerek, Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale and other local officials gathered to discuss the viable options.

The two sites leading a number of options are the old Kmart at Twin Cities Shopping Center, which has been vacant since 2017, and the Wallace Civic Center.

“Neither site is more desirable than the other as both are situated to provide the residents of Leominster and Fitchburg with immediate and easy access to the vaccine,” Kushmerek said. “With that being said, our priority and focus is on getting the Kmart location up and running as soon as possible. This location provides ease of access to the highway provides as well as ample parking for to everyone throughout North Central Massachusetts. Using this site will provide members of the Montachusett Public Health Network access to the vaccine so desperately needed at this time.”

Cronin, Kushmerek and state Rep. Natalie Higgins penned a follow-up letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders.

“We want to thank you for your leadership during this unprecedented and uncertain time,” the letter began. “On Feb. 26, we sent a letter to your attention requesting your direction and guidance regarding the critical and urgent need for vaccine access in North Central Massachusetts. Over the past several weeks, our offices have received hundreds of calls from vulnerable and elderly constituents unable to access mass vaccination sites, creating grave concerns around regional equity. We are dismayed that we have not yet received a response to this request, leaving us with little, in the way of access or information, to offer to our constituents in need.”

The Baker administration released three criteria on Feb. 24 that collaborative vaccine clinics must meet: have the capacity to vaccinate a minimum of 750 individuals per day, five days per week (subject to vaccine availability); meet an administration rate threshold of 85% and report doses within 24 hours; and be open to all residents of the commonwealth (collaborations may focus outreach efforts towards those who live or work in the area, but must be open to all Massachusetts residents).

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts informed us in mid-February that they were shifting their strategy from individual municipalities to regional collaboratives,” Kushmerek said. “Since the outset of the pandemic, our region’s boards of health, operating under MPHN (Chair) and Fitchburg Public Health Director Steve Curry, have worked closely to ensure access and sharing of information and resources. Vaccine distribution is no different, the regional model will work to ensure that every resident of our communities has quick and easy access to the vaccine.”

Once up and running the clinic will be staffed by nurses, health care professionals, and employees of the health departments throughout the MPHN network.

“Fitchburg State University has also engaged in conversations and stands ready and willing to provide additional resources and manpower through their renowned nursing program,” Kushmerek said. “We are truly grateful to FSU President Richard Lapidus, the FSU nursing department, expert faculty, and the skilled students of the program for their commitment to the North Central Massachusetts region.”

According to Kushmerek, MPHN has followed “every guideline and criteria” issued by the state Department of Health that is needed in order to secure a regional vaccination site — and it will be ready to begin vaccinating people eligible for the current vaccine phases and future phases as soon as a clinic site is finalized, and doses of vaccines are made available.

“Because of the due diligence of Mayor DiNatale, municipal officials, MPHN (Chair) Curry, and the Regional State Delegation, this collaboration stands ready and able to move forward with less than a week’s notice,” he said. “Senator Cronin, Representative Higgins, and I are calling on the administration to do everything in their power to help us achieve this regional site as soon as possible. As elected officials, we are as frustrated as the residents of the North Central Massachusetts region, with the regards to the accessibility of the vaccine. The vast majority of the residents living in the commonwealth (have) much easier access to either a regional site or a mass vaccination site. From a regional equity standpoint, we feel our residents in North Central Massachusetts deserve to have this same means of access and availability.”

For more information on vaccine clinics across the state and phases rollouts visit mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.