Lack of Vaccine Forces Southcoast to Stop Scheduling Appointments

Southcoast Health systems is no longer scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations at its first-dose clinics in Greater New Bedford, Fall River and Wareham because of a state decision to direct vaccine supplies to its mass vaccination sites.

In a statement released Friday, Southcoast Health said it had provided the vaccine to nearly 3,000 residents during the past several days.  However, Southcoast says it learned Thursday that the Mass. Department of Public Health will not be sending additional vaccine supplies to hospitals and health systems in the foreseeable future,

According to the statement, the state is prioritizing distributing their vaccine supply to their state-controlled mass vaccination sites and other entities administering the vaccine.

Southcoast Health states "without vaccine supply from the state at least for the next few weeks, and with no commitment of future allocations, we are unfortunately unable to schedule any further first-dose appointments at this time."

Southcoast says it fully expects the state to stand by its commitment to provide the health system with enough doses for individuals with existing appointments for both first and second doses.  Southcoast says it will stay in close contact with those patients directly.

The Baker Administration announced recently it planned to open a mass vaccination site at the former Circuit City building off Route Six in Dartmouth later this month.