CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Coronavirus developments across New England:
MASSACHUSETTS
Elderly Massachusetts residents who can’t leave their homes are struggling to vaccinated, and disability advocates say the state isn’t doing enough to address the problem.
“We have been told that the state is planning to work with home health agencies to administer vaccinations to people who are stuck in their homes,” Colin Killick, executive director of Disability Policy Consortium, told The Boston Globe. “What we’ve heard (from the state) is short on details, and it’s alarming at this point.”
Dr. Asif Merchant, a geriatrician who serves on Gov. Charlie Baker’s Vaccine Advisory Group, said he first raised concerns about vaccinating homebound residents to state health officials in November.
“They have no mechanism set up, and they are finally talking about it now, and they should have been talking about it in November,” Merchant said.
A Baker administration spokeswoman said getting vaccines to residents across Massachusetts is not a “one-size-fits-all” endeavor, so the state is working with communities, health insurance companies, and other groups to set up transportation to sites for those who can get out, as well as home delivery systems for those who can’t.
___
MAINE
More than 42,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Maine, including 150 cases announced Monday. No new deaths were reported, leaving the statewide death toll at 649.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new confirmed cases in Maine has decreased over the past two weeks, going from about 390 per day on Jan. 31 to nearly 190 per day on Sunday.
___
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire’s state-run COVID-19 vaccination sites and testing clinics will be closed Tuesday because of a storm that was expected to begin as snow Monday night before changing to sleet and freezing rain. State officials were reaching out by phone Monday to reschedule everyone for appointments later in the week.
More than 70,000 people have tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, including more than 290 cases announced Sunday. Three new deaths were announced, bringing the total to 1,133.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has decreased over the past two weeks, going from 480 new cases per day on Jan. 31 to more than 340 new cases per day on Sunday.
___
RHODE ISLAND
The Rhode Island House of Representatives COVID-19 vaccine task force is meeting this week to get an update on the state’s vaccine distribution process from top health officials.
State Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, Dr. Philip Chan, Consultant Medical Director with the department, and Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health are scheduled to speak at the meeting, which is set for Wednesday at 4 p.m. It will be livestreamed and aired on Capitol Television. No public testimony will be accepted.
The state’s vaccine rollout has come under fire from some, but officials say the rollout is hampered only because of a limited supply. Two mass vaccination sites are scheduled to open Thursday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence and the former Citizens Bank headquarters in Cranston, which combined can administer about 1,200 shots per day at first.
(Copyright (c) 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)