Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium to become first responder mass vaccination sites

BOSTON — Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and The Big E fairgrounds are among five large venues where mass COVID-19 first responder vaccination sites will be launched the week of January 18, Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts President Rich MacKinnon confirmed to Boston 25 News.

MacKinnon didn’t know off-hand the locations of the other two mass vaccination sites.

State health and public safety leaders held a virtual meeting Thursday to discuss their initial plans to vaccinate the state’s first responders.

During the meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders announced Lawrence General Hospital, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Atrius Health Needham will begin taking appointments to vaccinate first responders starting the week of January 11, according to a person with direct knowledge of the meeting who asked not to be identified. She said Atrius Health Needham will have the capacity to vaccinate up to 200 first responders a day.

Sudders said the same week, 60 first responder clinics are expected to launch across the state. The clinics are being operated in a collaborative effort of 180 local health departments and certain healthcare providers.

State health officials will post a map online early next week with information about the clinics. The website will contain vaccination dates and times for each clinic, as well as details on how to book an appointment, which will be required. First responders will be able to book their own appointments.

The officials said during the meeting they’ll continuously update the website with new clinics and sites as they launch.

State health commissioner Monica Bharel signed an order on December 18 allowing emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics to administer the COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots.

The state is also giving departments who employ paramedics and/or EMTs and meet certain requirements the option to organize their own vaccination clinics and request doses of the vaccine from the state health department (DPH).

To qualify, the departments must have the capacity to fully organize and staff the clinics to meet the vaccination needs of at least 200 first responders. They’ll need to have refrigeration/freezer capacity, personal protective equipment and clinical and non-clinical staffing to support the effort.

The departments must also register with the Massachusetts Immunization Information System, submit a unique Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Program Agreement and have a vaccination standing order in place signed by a medical provider.

Departments would likely have to partner with neighboring communities to meet the requirement of vaccinating at least 200 first responders.

Sudders said during the meeting four or five private ambulance companies have either completed or are in the process of completing the steps needed to administer the vaccine to their staff and fellow first responders.

Sudders also confirmed emergency 911 dispatchers and campus police officers are classified as first responders, in addition to state and local police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs.

First responders will be required to provide identification at the vaccination sites. Thomas Turco, secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, also attended the meeting. He said departments may have to provide civilian employees a letter confirming their employment.

Sudders said first responders should be prepared to hang out at the vaccination site for 15 to 30 minutes after being vaccinated so they can be monitored for adverse reactions.

State health officials said during the meeting most first responders will get the Moderna vaccine because of the easier storage requirements. Those who get vaccinated at a hospital will likely get Pfizer’s vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration has said both vaccines are equally safe and effective.

Both vaccines require two doses. For those receiving the Pfizer vaccine, the second dose is administered 21 days after the first. Moderna’s second dose is administered 28 days after the first.

State health officials said during the meeting the vaccine shipment schedule from the federal government and the allocation at the state level is designed to ensure a second dose is available in time for everyone who got their first dose.

Any first responder who recently got a flu shot will have to wait 14 days before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

First responders who tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered are eligible to be vaccinated but should check with their healthcare provider first. State health officials said, generally speaking, anyone who had the virus should be symptom-free for 90 days being getting vaccinated.

According to the officials who spoke at the meeting, first responders will likely have to provide insurance information when they book their appointment and/or at the time of their vaccination. It’ll vary by the clinic or site where they get tested. Sudders said regardless of whether the location requires insurance information or not, the vaccine is free and no one will pay a copay or get a surprise bill.

Officials said depending on the number of first responders who want to get vaccinated, the process could take several weeks.

Sudders said she expects 80% of Massachusetts residents ages 16 and older to get vaccinated, which is about 5.4 million to 5.5 million people.

She added the state hopes to use the mass vaccination sites for other groups after first responders.

>> Massachusetts firefighters say state lacks viable plan to get first responders vaccinated

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