By Vicki Greene, Contributing Writer
MARLBOROUGH—Thrilled that middle and high school students are returning to schools and explaining that he had already received his second dose of the COVID vaccine, Mayor Arthur Vigeant told the City Council, April 26, that 24 percent of city residents had been fully vaccinated as of that day.
44 percent of residents had received at least one dose of the vaccine, he added.
“The good news is that we finally have vaccines and appointments are open at the Marriott site but not from the state but from the federal government,” he told the Council, noting a long running effort once aimed at opening a state sponsored mass vaccination site at the Marriott hotel off Boston Post Road.
The city’s Board of Health also administered 50 doses of the Moderna vaccine to homebound residents during the week of April 16.
However, Vigeant said the state is not sending any more doses to the city for this week.
Through partnerships with Marlborough Hospital and the Edward M. Kennedy Health Community Health Centers that receive their doses from the federal government, Vigeant said the city is likely to continue administering approximately 750 doses a day at the Marriott site.
The Board of Health has been working with local bilingual ambassadors to reach underserved populations and is partnering with local churches to disseminate the information.
During the week of April 19, the Board of Health was able to also actually vaccinate 157 residents at the Bethel Presbyterian Church in town.
Vigeant said he is hoping to open a walk-in vaccination site in the French Hill neighborhood once the city is certain they will be receiving vaccine doses from the state and once staffing and site logistics are determined.
As of April 26, Vigeant said there were 54 positive cases in the city. Testing is continuing at the New England Sports Center.
