Aiming to boost vaccination rates among disproportionately affected populations, the Baker administration will set aside 20,000 vaccine appointments at the Hynes Convention Center next week for communities of color, the Baker administration announced Wednesday.
Several groups will partner on an outreach campaign to reach communities of color and book those appointments, including the Red Sox Foundation, El Mundo, The BASE, Archipelago Strategies Group, Healthcare for All and the Boston Public Health Commission.
The Baker administration did not answer questions about how the 20,000 appointments reserved for communities of color compares to previous weeks when officials had said some of the doses coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Hynes site would be diverted to several high-risk communities. Next week’s effort is a central component of “Red Sox Week” at the Hynes mass vaccination site scheduled to run from April 19 to 25.
During that span — which kicks off on the day that the general public in Massachusetts gains vaccine eligibility — the Hynes will feature bilingual Spanish-speaking staff and volunteers and Spanish signage. The site will also feature what Gov. Charlie Baker described as “Red Sox-themed attractions,” such as a selfie station, a raffle of tickets for a game at Fenway Park, trophies the team won, and “socially distanced visits with Wally the Green Monster.”
Alberto Vasallo, president and CEO of El Mundo Boston, said the “fun atmosphere” planned at the Hynes can help reach communities of color who might be more hesitant or might have more difficulty accessing information about the vaccination process.
“It helps move the needle, but it is a challenge,” Vasallo said.
Boston Red Sox President Sam Kennedy added that he had spoken with the team’s manager, Alex Cora, on his way to the Wednesday afternoon press conference and relayed a message from Cora to Baker.
“Alex said, whatever he needs to do to help spread the word in the community about the importance of vaccination, he’s all in,” Kennedy said.
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