BOSTON (WHDH) - Even with the vaccine rollout moving forward in Massachusetts, some are feeling frustrated over which groups are eligible to get vaccinated and where the shots are going.
Vaccination appointments opened up at 8 a.m. for about one million more residents,, including people 65 years and older, people who have at least two comorbidities, and people who live and work in low-income or affordable senior housing facilities.
Merrie Najimy, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, says educators are upset that vaccines are not available to them yet.
“They are frightened, they are frustrated and they are angry,” she said. “They are taking care of the children of Massachusetts and Massachusetts isn’t taking care of them.”
With no official date in sight for teachers to get their shots, Najimy said they are tired of waiting, especially since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised states to move teachers up in their vaccination plans. Several states have done so already.
“No one wants to be back in school more than educators, students and families,” she said. “We have to keep everyone in the building safe starting with the educators and one way we can give them an added layer of protection is getting them the vaccine.”
Cape Cod officials have also aired their frustrations with where vaccine doses are headed, writing a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker asking for a mass vaccination site to be set up at Cape Cod Community College.
Rep. Timothy Whelan said that, “Cape Cod is home to the most senior population in New England, and we are being drastically underserved when it comes to vaccination efforts.”
The Cape Cod COVID-19 Response Task Force is set to meet virtually Thursday morning to discuss the letter.
The state’s COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management Committee is also planning on hosting a hearing on Feb. 25 to listen to testimony from the Baker Administration about how it has been distributing vaccine doses and its plans for the future.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)