Lynn Tech vaccine site to receive no new first-dose vaccine supply from March 3-10, 2021

Due to lack of supply from the state, the Lynn Tech Vaccination Site, a partnership between Lynn Community Health Center (LCHC) and the Lynn Department of Public Health (DPH), will receive no new vaccine supply for first-dose appointments for the days between Wednesday, March 3 , and Wednesday, March 10 . The site has received vaccine supply for appointments for people receiving their second dose of vaccine on those days. The supply shortage unfortunately means that caregivers accompanying 75+ year olds, will not be able to receive a vaccine during this time at the Lynn Tech Site.

The site launched four weeks ago on February 1, 2021 and quickly ramped up its available capacity. Starting with 1,500 vaccinations per week, the site now has capacity for and was planning to administer 5,000 vaccines this coming week. The City of Lynn is one of 20 hard-hit cities that are part of the State’s targeted outreach initiative to increase equity in COVID-19 vaccine awareness and access for the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Unfortunately, the demand for vaccine at the state level outstrips the supply available to the MA DPH,” said Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, CEO of Lynn Community Health Center. “Given that reality, they provided us with enough doses to complete the series for those who are due. So, if you are due for your second dose, don’t worry, you will receive your shot. What this means is that from 3/3 to 3/9, the Lynn Tech site will have no new appointments for Lynn and Nahant residents to receive their first dose. It is unclear if this situation will change on 3/10, and we will strive to keep the public informed.”

“It is beyond frustrating that first dose vaccines have not been made available over the next week at the Lynn Tech Vaccination Site. Lynn has been one of the hardest hit communities by the COVID-19 pandemic across the entire Commonwealth,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “A lot of hard work went into establishing the infrastructure to create a robust vaccine operation by our staff at LCHC, DPH and our first responders. This decision will have a substantial negative impact on our community and the ability of our residents to easily access the much-needed vaccine at this critical time. We will continue to work with the Lynn Department of Public Health, Lynn Community Health Center and our state partners to advocate for more doses for Lynn residents as we ramp up our vaccination efforts.”

Already-scheduled appointments will not be cancelled. LCHC has released appointments only once available vaccine supply has been confirmed. Please visit https://www.lchcnet.org/covid- 19-vaccine-scheduling for news of when we expect to have more vaccine supply.

City of Lynn COVID-19 Update: March 2, 2021

The Lynn Public Health Department has confirmed that as of today, the number of active, confirmed positive COVID-19 cases is 306 with 24 new cases today. 15,116 Lynn residents have recovered and 195 have died. The total number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Lynn since March 21, 2020, including those who have died and recovered, is 15,617. Please visit the City of Lynn COVID-19 Data Dashboard which is updated daily.

Please visit http://www.ci.lynn.ma.us/covid19/resources.shtml#p7GPc1_2 for the most up to date COVID-19 testing information, as well as more detailed information on the State and City of Lynn’s Reopening Guidelines. We will continue to provide regular updates on COVID-19 through the City website (www.lynnma.gov), social media, and the Smart 911 emergency notification system (sign up at www.smart911.com).

All of the above information was submitted to us by Mayor McGee’s office.