First COVID vaccines in Central Mass. to be given Wednesday, healthcare workers at front of line

Photo | Grant Welker Harrington Hospital in Southbridge

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By Grant Welker

The largest hospitals in Massachusetts began receiving highly anticipated coronavirus vaccines on Monday, and more than 54,000 more doses are slated to arrive at another 17 hospitals statewide, the Baker Administration said Tuesday.

UMass Memorial Medical Center was among those receiving a total of 5,850 vaccines on Monday, with the first shots at the Worcester hospital expected to be given Wednesday. Southbridge-based Harrington HealthCare System said Tuesday it received its first shipment Tuesday and will begin providing doses to system staff as early as Wednesday.

State officials are expecting Massachusetts to receive 300,000 coronavirus vaccine doses before the end of the month. Little more than half are made by Pfizer, whose vaccine won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval last Friday. The remainder will come from Cambridge-based Moderna, whose own approval is expected this week.

The state Department of Public Health orders vaccines on behalf of health providers. The manufacturers then ship the vaccines directly to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Healthcare workers and at-risk patients are due to receive vaccinations first, with two doses required per person.

DPH said it will begin tracking and publicly reporting the number of immunizations next week, as it does for coronavirus cases, deaths and other key metrics.

State officials are also urging the public to celebrate the holidays carefully, with the pandemic at its highest levels yet in Massachusetts and nationally. DPH said it is asking residents to limit gatherings to household members only and to postpone or cancel any travel.