BOSTON (WHDH) – After a Boston vaccine clinic opened its doors to local residents over 18 Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker called it an “honest mistake” that would not happen again.
Currently, only people who are older than 55 or have one health condition are eligible for the vaccine. But on Monday, the Russell Auditorium vaccine site in Dorchester allowed local residents of any age to get the vaccine, appointment or not.
Boston Medical Center, which helps run the site, said that letting people without an appointment get the vaccine was an “error” and said it would not happen again, as did Baker.
“I would refer to it as a honest mistake. People have been talked to and I don’t anticipate it will happen again,” Baker said at a press conference Tuesday.
But numerous people without appointments showed up at the clinic on Tuesday hoping to get a shot, and said it was important to get vaccines to people in the area.
“This is one of the neighborhoods with the lowest vaccination rate in the state, I think throwing up barriers for people to get vaccines is a mistake,” said Jeremy Shenk, who lives in Roxbury.
“Anyone who is in this area .. whether you have comorbidities or not can do that, so it’s not really line jumping because anyone can come,” said Connor Murdock. “So that’s how I’m getting past any moral quandaries about it.”
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