BOSTON (AP) — The Middlesex County jail has its first positive coronavirus cases since late September, jail officials say.
Two inmates at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in Billerica have tested positive, Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s office said in a statement Tuesday. Both men have been placed in precautionary quarantine, according to the statement.
Nearly 170 inmates and more than 360 sheriff’s office workers have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the statement said. All inmates who wanted the vaccine were administered one.
“The fact we were able to identify these two cases before the individuals entered the general population is further evidence that our approach and the protocols we have in place have been effective,” Koutoujian said.
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VACCINATION HOTLINE
The city of Lawrence has set up a telephone hotline so residents without access to a computer can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.
Starting Wednesday, eligible residents ages 75 and older can call from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays to register for vaccinations at the South Lawrence East Elementary School, The Eagle-Tribune reported.
The call takers are bilingual.
The center was created after complaints from older residents who experienced difficulty and confusion trying to book vaccinations online.
“This call center is an integral part of breaking down the technological barriers that exist for our elders in our community,” Mayor Kendrys Vasquez said.
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