SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - Gov. Charlie Baker defended his plan to let people accompanying seniors to coronavirus vaccine appointments get vaccinated too, as well as the state’s rollout of vaccines after recent criticism.
While touring a vaccination site in Springfield, Baker said he’s not yet ready to move to the next phase of vaccinations.
“The sooner we get a large piece of the 75 and older vaccinated we can start talking about the 65 and plus group,” Baker said.
Baker announced a new plan later this week where people accompanying people over 75 years old to mass vaccination sites can get the vaccine as well. Other lawmakers have criticized the policy, calling it dangerous, and Baker said seniors should only get help from people they trust.
“We have heard disturbing reports of people trying to take advantage and offering to pay seniors [to accompany them], that obviously is unacceptable,” Baker said. “We put that policy in place for one reason and one reason only, to help provide support to seniors who might feel uncomfortable going to a mass vaccination site alone.”
And Baker defended his administration’s distribution of doses across the state.
“We would love to be able to give everybody all the vaccine that they ask for,” Baker said. “We have about 4.5 times many requests as we actually have vaccine available. I and every other governor in America continues on our weekly calls with the folks in DC to press them on when we can start to see a significant increase in available first doses.”