MA Expanding Vaccinations To Those 65+ Or With 2+ Health Concerns

Some 1 million more residents are about to be able to receive the coronavirus vaccine as the state announced as of Thursday it will expand eligibility to people 65 and older and those with at least two health concerns that make them more susceptible to serious COVID-19 complications.

The newly eligible groups will also include those who live and work at private senior housing and those who were shut out of the previous vaccination phases.

With the expansion of eligibility, and federal supplies that remain limited, Gov. Charlie Baker cautioned during his Wednesday news conference that it could take up to one month for all newly eligible residents to get a first-dose appointment.

"Believe me, we all know this sounds like a long time," Baker said. "But the demand is so much greater than the supply we are getting at this time. We all remain hopeful those numbers will increase from the federal government as we go forward."

Baker said the state has been promised an increase from 110,000 doses received this week to 139,000 for next week — and that 70,000 appointments will go online at mass vaccination sites Thursday morning — but that is still well below the 240,000 doses per week for which there is the capacity to distribute.

"As soon as we get official guidance from the feds that we are getting a bigger supply we will certainly be ready," he said. "Until then we have to ask everybody to be patient. There will be vaccine eventually for everyone, and everyone will get an appointment. It's just going to take awhile.

"And I know for a lot of people that's an enormous source of frustration."

Those under 65 must have two eligible health conditions, to which the state added moderate-to-severe asthma Wednesday. Those conditions are:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity and severe obesity
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
  

Baker said asthma was added to the list because environmental factors make asthma more prevalent in densely populated areas with a higher risk of community spread.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said in prioritizing these residents over professions such as teachers, food handlers and other essential workers "we are holding true to our commitment to protect our most vulnerable populations."

Those looking for appointments will also likely have to go through one of the state's mass vaccination sites, regional collaboratives, the federal pharmacy chains or Veterans Affairs as the state plans to restrict distribution to local boards of health for town-only distribution.

Baker said that is in an effort to get the most people vaccinated as quickly as possible.

"None of us thinks this program is moving fast enough," he said. "But you can't vaccinate people if you don't have the vaccine to make it available."

Read more about the health conditions here.

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