Springfield City Council continues to advocate for more vaccination sites (WWLP)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The City of Springfield has been working to determine how many residents and which areas of the city, have received their COVID-19 vaccine.
Councilors discussed the data during the weekly COVID-19 Response Committee meeting on Tuesday. Much of the data is collected by zip code.
As of February 23, the Public Health Department showed that 15,953 people in Springfield had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and that 5,097 received the second dose.
Department of Public Health
Information from Curative at the Eastfield Mall mass vaccination site shows that zip codes representing surrounding communities are receiving more vaccinations than zip codes representing Springfield.
At-Large Springfield City Councilor Jesse Lederman is chairman of the COVID-19 Response Committee. During the meeting, he said it’s crucial the city has access to frequent and accurate data.
“This data gives us our first snapshot of the status of vaccination in Springfield, but more detailed data on a regular basis will be necessary to accurately assess and respond to the pandemic as we move through vaccination phases. The state should be providing this data regularly and publicly. Upon initial review, the fact that suburban zip codes topped the list at the mass vaccination site is a clear indicator of why the state must prioritize localized vaccine distribution in Springfield. The state should take steps to make this a reality immediately,” Councilor Lederman said.
According to Health and Human Services Commissioner for Springfield, Helen Caulton-Harris, the city is prepared to start vaccinating residents.
“Yes. We have a site planned, we have a vaccinator planned. But what we need is to be assured we’re going to get the appropriate number of vaccines,” Caulton-Harris told councilors during the meeting.
Springfield City Council and the health commissioner are continuing to advocate for local vaccination sites in Springfield.
City Councilors also said that mass vaccination sites can lead to unequal distribution because they’re not easily accessible for all communities, even if they’re close by in proximity.
