‘I think people are a little frustrated’: Springfield officials praise President Biden’s COVID plan, but urge faster local vaccine distribution
Updated Jan 25, 2021;
SPRINGFIELD — City officials and hospital representatives on Monday praised President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 response plan but urged an accelerated, larger local vaccination effort as doses are depleted.
The combination of praise and pleas came just prior to the announcement of three new mass vaccination sites in Massachusetts by Gov. Charlie Baker, including a site at the Eastfield Mall scheduled to open Jan. 29.
At the city’s weekly update on the pandemic, officials said Springfield has used up its 1,400 vaccine doses. Those primarily went to first responders and other priority groups, and the city wants to make the vaccine available to other vulnerable groups as soon as possible, said Mayor Domenic Sarno and Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris.