AARP-RI issues concerns as teacher groups move up to be vaccinated

As CVS announced, with no advanced notice that they would now vaccinate teacher and school staff individuals, word spread on social media that the website CVS.com would now accept registrations. By noon the state of Massachusetts announced that it would change their own designations for all vaccination centers and adapt to the CVS guidelines. Rhode Island has not changed its category as of this morning.

The AARP-RI issued their statement of concern about the promised priority in Rhode Island to prioritize seniors for vaccinations:

“We share our members’ concerns when changes made in the state plan disrupt what was once promised as being age-prioritized,” said AARP State Director Kathleen Connell. “We reassert our call for a transparent, statewide registration and appointment system that reduces confusion, and that the plan accommodates Rhode Islanders who do not have access to the Internet or someone to assist them.

“We also have called for the state to include a specific strategy to address those who are isolated, lack a means of transportation or face other obstacles to reach a vaccination site. Or that otherwise they can be vaccinated at home. These considerations are necessary to fulfill the state’s responsibility to see that the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders are being vaccinated. That goal should not be forgotten.”

As of now, Rhode Island has not decided to join Massachuetts in adding teacher groups to the mass sites and regional sites. Governor McKee has not spoken on this yet, only to say he is waiting for more guidance. There is a press conference set for today at 1pm, which will be his first as Governor on the coronavirus update.

The Massachusetts Teachers Union said: “This is huge,” said Merrie Najimy, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. “This is going to bring a lot of joy to all school employees. Now Governor Baker, get with the program and get us in line,” she said.

The extension of teacher groups by CVS – and soon expected to go to Walgreens was in response to President Biden on Tuesday night issuing a “mandate” to states to begin vaccinating the school groups and to complete it by March 30th, along with an announcement of many new thousands of doses of vaccine on the way from Johnson & Johnson as well as Pfizer and Moderna. The statement was issued with no pre-warnings to the public, school officials or states. There is a federal partnership done through Operation Warp Speed that is separate from the states’ run vaccination program.

CVS had no official announcement on their website, but they issued this statement when we inquired: “We’ve aligned with updated Federal Retail Pharmacy Program guidelines by making appointments available to pre-K through 12 educators and staff and childcare workers in all 17 states where we currently offer COVID-19 vaccines.”

Some early-birds were lucky in getting first appointments, but “refresh” was the name of the game throughout the day as thousands of Rhode Islanders tried to secure their required appointment times.

To schedule: https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link2-coronavirus-vaccine.

This is a developing story