Massachusetts opens up vaccine eligibility to younger companions of people 75 or older

In Massachusetts, individuals accompanying older residents who are getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also make an appointment to get vaccinated at any of the mass vaccination sites in the state. The new eligibility for “caregivers” was announced Wednesday morning, and officials say it covers any trusted friend of family member, regardless of age. “Companion is probably a better word,” said Gov. Charlie Baker at a press conference at a mass vaccination site in Danvers. The new option, which goes into effect on February 11, permits those planning to accompany a Phase 2 eligible resident older than age 75 years to book their own vaccination appointment for the same day and location, but only at one of the state’s mass vaccination sites. These individuals must state online or through the state’s 211 vaccine appointment hotline that they are “accompanying someone who is age 75+ to their vaccination appointment” and their appointment is for the same day. According to the governor, officials had found that some older adults were “hesitant to go to a mass vaccination site alone or may have difficulty getting to a site.” The new program, he said, aims to get more people over age 75 years vaccinated before the state opens up eligibility to the next group in the vaccine rollout. “One of the things we heard from some of the senior groups was that people don’t want to put the burden, if you want to call it that, on a family member, companion, friend, whatever it might be, to take them to a mass vax site to get vaccinated,” Baker said. “One way to make it a little less of a burden … is to be able to say to that person they can get vaccinated when they come with them.”