COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Updates

Find the most up-to-date information on Massachusetts’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan!

State Resources

Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Information
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Timeline: Phase Overview
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions

New! April 7, 2021 Update

The Baker Administration took two significant actions in the past week related to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process: 1) aligned Massachusetts’s vaccine eligibility criteria with the CDC’s and 2) added a new website with information on vaccine equity.

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Aligning Vaccine Eligibility with the CDC
 
Late last week, the Baker Administration announced that Massachusetts will adopt the CDC’s updated list of medical conditions that are linked to an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Find the full list of medical conditions that are linked to increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 here.

As a result of adopting the CDC’s list, more residents became eligible to schedule a vaccine appointment starting April 5th. This adoption comes after weeks of dogged advocacy from the Legislature and from residents like you to prioritize vaccination for those with Type I Diabetes, HIV, or a weakened immune system, among other at-risk groups.
 
While we had all hoped that this alignment would have come sooner, I am glad that more of our vulnerable residents are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

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Vaccine Equity Initiative Website
 
Since the vaccine distribution process began, I have been pushing the Baker Administration to provide clearer and more transparent information about vaccine equity. Despite announcing a targeted outreach initiative to the communities hardest hit by COVID-19, the Command Center has failed to provide data that supported if and how the state was fulfilling its promises to these communities.
 
Finally, this week the COVID-19 Command Center added a new site with information on vaccine equity. The site includes community-specific information on vaccine distribution by race and ethnicity, outreach activities, and other data pertaining to the work to ensure equity of the vaccine rollout.
 
This is the initial iteration of the website, but we have been told that going forward the Command Center will be adding information on outcomes, such as doses shipped to sites (e.g., community health centers, regional vaccination sites, etc.), benchmarks and progress on the state’s community outreach and door-knocking campaign, and other activities.

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Our work is not over – we must ensure that the Baker Administration continues to provide transparent and detailed information about vaccine equity efforts, improve the user-experience for booking vaccine appointments, and listen to our collective concerns.
 
And I want to acknowledge that more and more people are becoming vaccinated every day, and with each vaccination comes increased hope and confidence that the end of this public health emergency is near.
 
While I share that hope, I want to also acknowledge that we are simultaneously seeing an uptick in active COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations here in Massachusetts, and across the country.
 
Many public health experts are warning that a potential fourth surge is coming in the months ahead, which may be exacerbated by increasingly prevalent COVID-19 variants. I encourage everyone to stay vigilant – wear a mask, practice good hygiene, social distance, and don’t gather in large groups even if you’re fully vaccinated. Until every person that is able to get the vaccine does, we can’t let our guard down.
 
We will get through this, but only if we work together.

For past COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Updates from me, click the dates below:

March 17, 2021
March 11, 2021
March 3, 2021
February 25, 2021
February 24, 2021
February 17, 2021
February 5, 2021
January 27, 2021
January 22, 2021
January 16, 2021

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