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Date: 3/23/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – After submitting four proposals to the state to open a regional COVID-19 vaccination site, the town has yet to hear back from the state.
West Springfield’s Chief of Operations Carly Camossi said they have been vaccinating people at the senior center.
Because Gov. Charlie Baker stopped local public health departments from receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the center can now only administer the second doses to those who already received their first vaccine.
To continue to vaccinate people, West Springfield would have to open a regional site.
“It is disheartening to see all of my residents come in, and they are sad that their friends cannot get vaccinated. Because we have such a good program, everyone says they wish that their friends could get in here and that they are looking forward to not having to deal with this anymore,” she said.
Camossi said that the problem with going regional is that there is nowhere locally serving West Springfield residents.
Camossi continued to say that while there is a vaccination site at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, it takes her 40 minutes to drive up, not helping her elderly population or those who do not drive.
“What is nice about West Springfield is we are really the crossroads of New England. We have the intersection of 91, Route 5, we are on a bus line, and we have all these other means of transportation. In addition, our senior center can provide transportation to those who need it,” Camossi said.
Before Baker’s announcement, the center was administering 100 doses a week, 50 a day between their Tuesday and Thursday appointments. Camossi said they would be able to vaccinate 1,200 people a day by running four clinics similar to those at the senior center at the Big E.
If given the okay to start a regional site, West Springfield will partner with Agawam, Westfield, Southwick, Tolland, Granville, and they are currently looking at the sheriff’s department.
“What we are trying to do is kind of raise awareness to the fact that there are not enough people in this area willing to travel to the Eastfield Mall,” Camossi said.
If they are permitted to move forward with opening a regional vaccination site, Camossi said she would leave the transportation up to each town or city in their coalition. For example, the Agawam senior center will transport its residents. She noted that it would be on a bus route so surrounding residents can get on a bus.
If the town is approved, Camossi said she would open within five business days from the day she received the okay.
Reminder Publishing reached out to Ann Scales, media relations director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health but did not receive a response as of press time.