*VIDEO* Town of Easton Completes Vaccine Clinics for First Responders and Announces Vaccine Interest List for Easton Seniors and Those with Co-Morbidities

EASTON — Emergency Management Director Kevin Partridge, Director of Health and Community Services Kristin Kennedy and Town Administrator Connor Read are pleased to announce that the Town of Easton has concluded a series of COVID-19 vaccination clinics for Easton first responders.

A series of three clinics were held earlier this month for Easton Fire Department, Easton Police Department and EMS personnel.

“We as first responders want to protect ourselves and protect our families, and we also want to still be able to go out and do our jobs effectively without putting people at risk,” Chief Partridge said. “To have the vaccine allows us to be able to do that.”

The Town of Easton will keep residents up to date on vaccine distribution and is encouraging members of the public to receive the vaccine when they are able to as a way to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Town is committed to offering vaccinations to eligible populations, however, it can only do so if and when it receives doses of the vaccine from the Commonwealth. If the Town secures doses, it will contact eligible populations and schedule a clinic. Until then, all eligible populations should visit www.mass.gov/covidvaccine for information on available sites.

“We worked tirelessly as a team to pull these clinics together for our first responders,” Director Kennedy said. “The number of people who showed up for the clinics is a testament to what we’ve been educated on, and is why we all feel comfortable and willing to receive the vaccine. We want people to know that it is safe.”

While the Town has yet to receive additional doses of the vaccine for distribution, Town officials are currently asking people who qualify for Phase Two of the State’s vaccine distribution plan (specified below) to call or email in order to be placed on a Vaccine Interest List. The list will allow the Town to more easily share vaccine opportunities and data as information becomes available.

To be placed on the Vaccine Interest List, call the Easton COVID-19 hotline at 508-230-0783 or email covid19@easton.ma.us.

As of Jan. 25, the list of priorities for individuals eligible to be vaccinated as part of Phase Two include the following:

1. Those residents age 75 or over
2. Those residents age 65 or over
3. Those residents with two or more comorbidities

According to the State’s distribution plan, members of the general public will receive the vaccine as part of Phase Three, which is expected to become available this spring.

“Officials are working around the clock to prepare to get the vaccine to the public once it’s available from the State,” Chief Partridge said. “The whole Emergency Management Team is on the same page, and we are ready to go. We ask that the public keep an eye out for information on upcoming clinics, and we hope residents follow our lead and get vaccinated to stop the spread of the virus.”

Here are a few things you can do to prepare yourself to be positioned to take advantage of an Easton clinic if we are able to offer one: 

1. Review the Massachusetts Department of Public Health information about the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (Easton is not equipped to offer Pfizer) available here – https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-frequently-asked-questions and FAQs here.
2. Speak with your Primary Care Provider about any concerns or questions you have about whether the vaccine is right for your medical needs.
3. Continue checking back to the Commonwealth’s vaccination location webpage regularly to attempt to schedule an appointment at existing clinics.

Stay Informed

The Town of Easton is encouraging residents to check the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s website for the most current vaccine distribution information. This includes all individuals identified in later stages of Phase Two and in Phase Three. For a list of sites for eligible populations, visit mass.gov/covidvaccine.

To view the Town of Easton’s COVID-19 homepage, visit easton.ma.us/covid-19.

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