Teachers Blast Updates To Massachusetts Vaccination Plan

MASSACHUSETTS — Unions representing teachers say the Baker administration's updated plan for vaccinating Massachusetts residents against the coronavirus is stalling a safe return to in-person learning.

"The Baker administration must do a better job of balancing the needs of people at risk because of age and other factors with recognizing that people working with students need to be vaccinated," Massachusetts Teachers Association President Merrie Najimy said in a statement. "We had not opposed the original prioritization list because it had a rational basis and promised to deliver vaccines to educators in February. Now, those hopes may be dashed."

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced changes to the state's vaccination plan Monday that bumped teachers down the priority list. Union leaders had also hoped the state would move teachers at the state's colleges and universities to the second phase of the vaccination plan from the third phase.

The state plans to start vaccinating people over the age of 75 on Monday. But in a change announced this week, people over the age of 65 will jump ahead of teachers and other workers with close contact to the public, including food service workers, public health workers and transportation workers. The state also instructed pharmacies helping in the vaccination effort to prioritize the hardest-hit communities, including Chelsea, Revere and parts of Boston.

"They are forcing communities to compete with one another for a scarce resource rather than establishing a fair system with clear rules," Najimy said.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).