Massachusetts Not Changing COVID Vaccine Timeline Despite Latest CDC Guidelines
BOSTON (CBS) --The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging states to start vaccinating people 65 and older. "It's time to move on to the next phase of the vaccination campaign," Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.
Azar also said the feds are releasing the required second dose of vaccine to states.
"This is obviously a complicated process, but as we said before the vaccines can't get here fast enough," said Governor Charlie Baker.
The governor was asked about the CDC's recommendation to start expanding the distribution of the vaccine. He said any changes to the Massachusetts timeline will come after getting advice from the state's COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group.
Right now, Massachusetts is still in phase one. "I think the recommendations that were made by our group are appropriate and I think folks over the age of 75 are part of the beginning of group two," said Baker.
On Tuesday, the governor announced Gillette Stadium will be the first mass vaccination distribution site.
READ: Mass. Couple Gets Vaccine In Florida
Later this week, it will open for staff administering the vaccine, next week it will be available for first responders and in later phases, it will be used for people over 65 and eventually the general public.
In some states, people over the age of 65 are already getting the vaccine.
James Smith of Shrewsbury winters in Florida. He and his wife got the vaccine last week.
"When opportunity knocks you kind of take advantage so we weren't really sure that we would be able to get it down here but we do own a condo so we used that address," said Smith.