Newton Vaccine Clinics Canceled Amid New State Rollout

NEWTON, MA — There will be no local city-run coronavirus vaccination clinic in Newton, thanks to several significant changes to the state vaccination rollout plan announced Wednesday.

"Newton’s HHS department is disappointed not to be able to support our community by providing vaccine clinics," said Newton Commissioner of Health and Human Services Deborah Youngblood. "However, I recognize that the State is employing a population health model, prioritizing large throughput sites that are an efficient means of vaccinating the greatest number of people in the shortest amount of time."

Gov. Charlie Baker announced Wednesday the state would be funneling more resources toward its largest vaccination sites at the expense of community-focused ones.

Newton has thus far received 700 first doses and 500 second doses, according to Youngblood, and expects to continue to be allocated the rest of its second doses.

"With the small allotments we were given, we followed the State criteria by vaccinating our first responders and some especially vulnerable residents in congregate housing," she said, noting those clinics went well.

Nationwide, vaccine demand has been higher than supply. Baker said the feds have promised the state more doses and that some 70,000 appointments were set to go online at mass vaccination sites Thursday before the website crashed.

Although that news of relocating resources to bigger sites is frustrating for many towns and cities, it came with the more hopeful news that the state was opening up the eligibility to seniors 65 and older and those with at least two health concerns.

Still, with limited supply of the vaccine, Baker cautioned it could take up to one month for all newly eligible residents to get a first-dose appointment.

Mass vaccination sites nearby:

• Boston: Fenway Park
• Foxborough: Gillette Stadium

Other vaccination sites:

• Newton: Holtzman Medical Group Mt. Ida Campus (UMass Amherst)
• Newton: CVS, 978 Boylston St.
• Newton: Wegmans, 200 Boylston St.

Info for seniors:

The Newton Senior Center is also helping those who are 65 and older and have trouble using a computer sign up for the vaccine, call: 617-796-1666, leave your name and number for a return phone call.

You can check the state map here. You can also find locations using your zip code here, and you can download a list of vaccination sites here.