Massachusetts isn’t a huge state. We aren’t Texas or even New York where there are miles of open country between cities. Basically, we have one city — Boston — and a lot of small towns. You can drive from the Atlantic eastern part of the state to the far western area in about four hours, North to south in about three hours. Compared to really large states, that’s nothing.

It’s not nothing in the middle of the winter. It’s certainly not nothing if you can’t drive or don’t own a car that can make long drives. It’s especially ugly when there’s no public transportation as an alternative.

Today, supposedly to make vaccines more available, the Governor’s office decided to stop giving vaccines to hospitals.

Say what?

The only places in Worcester County where you could get a vaccination were its five hospitals. Now there are no places to get vaccinations. Of course, there are also no vaccines although, oddly enough, wealthy people seem to have no problem getting them. I don’t suppose their money has something to do with it?

How will closing down sites offering vaccinations increase availability? It goes against any logic with which I’m familiar. It’s literally anti-logical. I’m furious with our governor and government. I’m ready to scream at the next person who tells me to “be patient.”

Patient. Really?

The people telling me to be patient have been vaccinated, often in their office or at home. All warm and cozy. They didn’t have to drive 100 miles — each way — through ice and snow during the worst part of the winter. Nor did any members of their family have to be patient while time ran out.

Meanwhile, how do you design a system and omit the entire center of your state?

Why would anyone think limiting availability will increase the number of vaccinations given?

If that makes any sense, explain it to me because it doesn’t make sense to me. All it does is concentrate vaccinations to the same sites we could not reach before. Today I found ONE vaccination available in Marshfield which is literally on the ocean at the far southeastern edge of Massachusetts. It’s a long, long drive just one way and an absurdly long drive when you are going in both ways.

Given all the widely-disseminated information about our fantastic medical facilities, is this the best we can do?

Governor Charles Barker, you are a bad governor. You do not listen and have done an awful job during a time when we needed your help. How many times have television stations and newspapers asked why there are no MassVax places in Central Massachusetts — and you ignored them and anyone else who asked the same question? We begged you to let at least the most vulnerable among us get on the list — and you refused.

Do not think we will forget. Those of us who survive will never forget. I will never forget.

Where are the visiting nurses? What about all the elderly people who can’t drive, don’t have cars, lack public transportation options, or are unable to drive long distances — what about them? Who is taking care of them? Anyone?

Is anyone making any effort to make sure we get what we need? Does anyone care?

Categories: #Health, Coronavirus - Covid 19, Epidemic - Pandemic - Plague, Hospital, Medical, Politics, UMass Memorial, Vaccination

Tags: COVID-19, Healthcare, Marilyn Armstrong, Vaccination