Worcester launches COVID vaccination hub for first responders at senior center with 288 doses expected on first day Updated Jan 12, 2021; Facebook Share Dr. Michael Hirsh had difficulty sleeping Sunday night. Worcester’s medical director and UMass Memorial Health Care’s director of trauma services and surgeon-in-chief of the Children’s Medical Center felt the excitement of Monday morning when the city began administering COVID vaccines to first responders in Worcester. He elevated Monday ahead of the day when he received the vaccine. “There’s a lot of people who are going to have immunity, which is great,” Hirsh said. Masks covered the faces of Worcester Police Chief Steve Sargent and Fire Chief Michael Lavoie but joy permeated from their expressions as each became the first first responders in the city to receive Moderna’s vaccine.