As others struggle with low vaccine supply, colleges and hospitals have a surplus problem
Conflicting, ambiguous state guidance creates confusion in vaccine rollout
By Deirdre Fernandes and Kay Lazar Globe Staff,Updated January 27, 2021, 8:45 p.m.
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Northeastern University had nearly 2,000 doses of precious COVID vaccine sitting in freezers
last week after most of its front-line and emergency workers already had been immunized. So college officials informed the state that they planned to use the leftovers on other employees, including older adults and those with multiple medical conditions, who would soon be eligible under the state plan.
On Monday, the university started immunizing those workers and planned to give shots to some 730 people throughout the week. But by Tuesday, the schoolâs vaccination clinic had come to an abrupt halt. The state wanted the college to limit immunizations to people who were 75 or older, a relatively tiny group on a college campus, and wait until sometime in February