Update: Vaccine sign-up available for K-12 workers March 8

Baker estimates there are 400,000 educators across the state.

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Teachers will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 11. -Lucas Thors

Updated 4:35 pm 

Following an announcement from Gov. Charlie Baker, Island educators, school staff, and childcare workers will be eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment on March 8 at 5 pm.

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is coordinating with Superintendent Matt D’Andrea to schedule a dedicated clinic for Island public schools beginning March 11. Details are still being worked out for that clinic.

Starting Monday, March 8, at 5 pm, educators will be able to schedule vaccine appointments for the following Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, using the hospital’s website sign-up tool.

Vaccine appointments at the hospital are not exclusive to Island educators. Anyone who is eligible can use this to schedule an appointment.

The hospital will open the scheduling tool on its website on Mondays at 5 pm for appointments on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, in addition to the Saturday 8 am sign-ups for appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts K-12 teachers, school staff, and early childhood educators will be able to begin booking COVID-19 vaccine appointments on March 11.

The announcement comes one day after President Joe Biden called on states to prioritize vaccinating educators during March. CVS Pharmacy updated their eligibility list Wednesday morning, including teachers K-12, daycare, preschool workers, and staff.

There will be specific days at state mass vaccination sites for educator appointments. More information will be released soon.

Baker estimated that 400,000 people will be eligible as educators, childcare workers, and school staff.

Even with approval of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, doses coming into the state will remain relatively steady over the next few weeks, according to Baker. He stressed that people needed to be patient.

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital could not immediately be reached for comment.

There were two new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday—one from the hospital and one from another provider. 

On the Island, the hospital has conducted 14,042 tests for COVID-19 since March. Of those, 662 have tested positive, and 13,380 negative. No tests are pending results. One patient is currently hospitalized for COVID-19.

As of Wednesday, TestMV has conducted 34,189 tests since June. Of those, 256 have tested positive, 33,265 negative, and 668 are pending results.

The town of Aquinnah has conducted 432 tests, of which one has come back positive, 428 negative, and three pending results.

The Martha’s Vineyard public schools have tested 5,239 individuals. Of those, four have tested positive. The public school data is updated once a week on Mondays.

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has reported a total of seven positive cases of COVID-19.

Due to how tests are conducted, there can be a discrepancy between the number of positive individuals and the number of positive tests reported.

 

Updated to include Wednesday COVID data. — Ed.