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Previously, a Massachusetts resident had to be at least 75 years old to get a vaccination based solely on age in the current phase (phase 2) of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, Baker expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility by age as well as a medical condition. Now, people with two or more certain medical conditions - including Asthma - can get the vaccine, too.
The new eligibility requirements go into effect Thursday, Feb. 18.
Baker said the new requirements mean an additional 1 million people will be vaccinated during phase 2.
Baker said that with the expanded eligibility and limited vaccine supply, it may be difficult to schedule a vaccination appointment. For example, Massachusetts has 70,000 inoculation appointments scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17.
“Due to extremely high demand for appointments and limited vaccine supply, it could take more than a month for all eligible individuals to secure an available appointment, unless federal supply significantly increases,” the governor's office said in a statement.
Massachusetts is doling out vaccines in three phases, which started with inoculating the people most at risk of COVID-19 infections and medical personnel. The state is now in phase 2 and phase 3, which will provide inoculations for the general public, is slated to begin in April.
The medical conditions newly added to the state’s phase 2 vaccination-eligibility list include cancer, chronic kidney disease, down syndrome, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking, and people with organ transplants.
To find a vaccination location near you and make an appointment visit Massachusetts' COVID-19 Vaccine Finder or macovidvaccines.com.
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