Ineligible Residents Line Up Outside Dorchester Clinic Hoping To Get COVID Vaccine
DORCHESTER (CBS) - There were long lines outside the Russell Auditorium in Dorchester Tuesday of both registered and ineligible folks waiting to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
On Monday, there was a lot of confusion after a tweet saying the clinic allowed walk up vaccine appointments for anyone age 18 and from the surrounding communities, which is still two weeks before the state says these folks are eligible. Many people who showed up Tuesday hoping to jump the line were turned away.
"I'll just wait for next time," one man said.
"You try to jump at every opportunity," another man said. "It's disappointing but the time will come."
Boston Medical Center, which runs the clinic, says the confusion was due to an error in the pre-registration process and have since ceased vaccination for that age group. On Tuesday, Governor Charlie Baker, who received his Pfizer vaccine, said he hopes ineligible folks would wait their turn and follow the state guidelines.
"I think what happened yesterday I would refer to as an honest mistake, people have been talked to, I don't anticipate it will happen again," Gov. Baker said. "That they will follow the rules and play by them as everyone else who is vaccinating people in Massachusetts should."
Dorchester resident Dan Gilligan, who is 29 years old, was among those who got the shot on Tuesday. "They ask you three questions," Gilligan said. "If you don't have an appointment, you just need to prove proof of residence. It's very fast."
Health officials say areas like Dorchester have had some challenges filling appointments which is why people are hoping they can swing by and get there's.
"It's not really line jumping because anyone can come," said Dorchester resident Connor Murdock. "That's how I am getting past any moral quandaries I might have about it."
