February 17, 2021 by the Town of Hingham website
The Town of Hingham would like to share the latest information regarding the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in town and throughout the region.
The Town was informed today that effective the week of March 1, the State will no longer be providing first dose vaccines for most individual municipal clinics, Hingham included. This means that we will not be able to schedule additional first-dose vaccination clinics in Hingham. Town staff will contact individuals who pre-registered with the Town to inform them of this change and redirect them to other vaccine resources.
As the Commonwealth moves forward and as many more residents become eligible to receive the vaccine, the State will be streamlining the vaccine distribution process and will be placing an emphasis on mass vaccination sites and regionalized clinics. There is also a growing number of pharmacies and other retail locations administering vaccines. The State’s Vaccine Finder website allows residents to search for vaccine sites and schedule appointments.
The State has indicated that Hingham will still receive second vaccine doses for individuals who already received their first dose through our local clinics. The Town will continue to keep residents informed of future second-dose clinics as additional vaccines are received for this purpose.
“The Town of Hingham aggressively sought vaccine doses at the local level. However, we respect the State’s decision to prioritize a more regionalized approach to distribution. We will continue to provide information to our residents about how to access COVID-19 vaccines through other venues,” Hingham Executive Health Officer Susan Sarni said.
Town Administrator Tom Mayo commented, “We would like to acknowledge our Health Department and Fire Department staff for all of the work they have done throughout this process. They truly stepped up when residents needed them the most, and we are proud of the work the Town has done thus far to vaccinate our first responders, health care workers, and senior population.”
New Group Eligible
The Baker-Polito Administration also announced today that as part of the latest step in Phase 2 of the State’s vaccine rollout plan, individuals aged 65 and over, those with two or more certain medical conditions, and those who live or work in low-income and affordable senior housing will be eligible to book an appointment to receive the vaccine beginning Thursday, Feb. 18.
Included in this group are individuals 16 and older with two or more certain medical conditions, which include:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Obesity and severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
The State stressed that due to extremely high demand for appointments and limited vaccine supply, it could take more than a month for all eligible individuals to secure an appointment.
Resources
Details for booking an appointment can be found through the State’s COVID-19 Vaccine Finder. To learn more about certain medical conditions and who may be eligible to receive the vaccine, on the Mass.gov COVID-19 Vaccination Site.
View the Town of Hingham’s COVID-19 dashboard and information page. Questions about COVID-19 vaccines can be directed to CovidQuestions@hingham-ma.gov.