FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - As the first mass vaccination site in Massachusetts gets ready to open at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, one local doctor is saying the state’s distribution plan is failing so far.
Dr. Swannie Jett, who serves on the Mass. Public Health Association’s board of directors, slammed the state for its vaccination rollout.
“Right now, Massachusetts is behind,” he said. “The process and planning has been very lacking compared to what I have seen in other states.”
Jett is also the Brookline Public Health Commissioner and says local health departments should take the lead in getting the public vaccinated.
“We want to make sure we vaccinate people fast,” he said. “Normally, there was no CVS or Walgreens. Health department vaccinated ourselves.”
So far, the state has vaccinated just over 200,000 people with the first dose, with nearly 33,000 receiving the second.
Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin has suggested to Gov. Charlie Baker the creation of a pilot program that would allow COVID-19 vaccination centers to be set up adjacent to polling places in upcoming local elections.
“Many of our communities will hold elections in March and April and May,” he explained. “It seems we should be testing out the idea of people vaccinating people at the polls.”
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