Needham Officials Write Governor For More Vaccines

NEEDHAM, MA — Needham officials are trying to get Governor Charlie Baker to allow them to continue their successful vaccination efforts in town.

Baker slowed the vaccine rollout to local boards of health and local vaccine sites last week to focus on rolling out the vaccine to mass vaccination sites such as Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park.

In a letter signed by Maurice P. Handel, Chair of the Needham Select Board and Kathleen Ward Brown Chair of the Needham Board of Health, officials argued that while Needham's vaccine efforts were technically local, they resulted in the vaccination of thousands of people from the surrounding area. Officials are asking the governor to continue local vaccination programs and that Needham serve as a regional vaccination partner.

According to Needham officials, the town provided 3,563 vaccinations to 3,301 people from 206 municipalities across the state.

The full letter is below: