FAIRHAVEN — Fairhaven and Acushnet officials say they were ready to distribute the vaccine, but the state "pulled the rug from under" them by diverting supplies to the mass vaccination sites.
“The state was pushing us smaller municipalities into emergency planning. We were ready to go and were confident we wouldn’t disappoint the community. Then the state made this decision and pulled the rug from under us,” said Kevin Gallagher, fire chief for Acushnet Fire Department. Gov. Charlie Baker made the decision earlier this month to stop distributing vaccines for COVID-19 to local municipal clinics in order to supply mega sites run by the state.