MA Opens Coronavirus Vaccination Call Center For Appointments

BOSTON — Massachusetts residents 75 and older who have trouble using the state website to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment are now able to call a hotline to schedule one instead.

The call center is open and can be reached by dialing 211. It is only available for people 75 or older who can't use the website, Gov. Charlie Baker said at a Friday morning news conference.

The call center will be open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. More than 500 representatives will field calls, with options for English, Spanish and translators in more than 100 other languages.

"We believe this resource will be a huge help," Baker said.

The state expects long wait times, especially at the beginning. If there are no appointments available, people will be put on a callback list for when an appointment is made available.

Baker said the state's COVID-19 vaccine website remains the quickest way to schedule an appointment.

The governor said as of Friday morning there are 20,000 appointments available for next week at Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and the Eastfield Mall.

Baker recently acknowledged his unhappiness with the vaccine rollout as it enters Phase Two. Many frustrated seniors have had difficulty using the state's website to book appointments.

The state is also launching a separate ad campaign aimed at educating people about the vaccine's safety. The first television spot will air Sunday before the Super Bowl. The campaign will then broaden its reach.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Boston Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.