SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - Seniors waiting outside in the cold and snow to get vaccinated at a Springfield site Tuesday prompted the deployment of the National Guard and local police department.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno wrote in a statement that the National Guard is assisting the Springfield Police Department to assure that people over the age of 75 aren’t waiting in the harsh winter conditions to get their COVID-19 vaccine at the Eastfield Mall site, operated by Curative.
“SPD will work with the National Guard, who the Governor and Lt. Governor have recently dispatched to provide assistance, to assure that our beloved seniors are taken care of and are not waiting outside in the cold weather and that they are reassured that they will not lose their place in line,” he said.
The added enforcement has allowed for individuals to wait inside the mall or in their vehicles, with wait times reportedly being cut down to less than a half-hour.
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