Massachusetts Launches Vaccine Pre-Registration Site

(TNS) — Officials are promising vaccine signups will get "easier" in Massachusetts this week with the launch Friday of a centralized pre-registration system for booking appointments and the announcement of dedicated teacher vaccination days at the state's seven largest vaccination sites.

The decision to implement a centralized pre-registration system for the state's seven mass vaccination sites comes amid weeks of mounting pressure from state and federal lawmakers to streamline the signup process following repeated website failures and long wait times that have fanned frustrations.

"The new system will make it easier to request and book an appointment at a mass vaccination site," according to a press release from Gov.  Charlie Baker's  office.

Sen.  Diana DiZoglio , D- Methuen told the Herald, "It's about time."

DiZoglio is one of several lawmakers who have filed legislation to pressure Gov.  Charlie Baker  to improve online signup tools.

The pre-registration system will allow residents to log their information with the state and then be sent information via text, call or email to sign up for a vaccine appointment at a mass vaccination site closest to their home once they become eligible, administration officials told reporters during a Wednesday morning briefing.

Once informed, people will have 24 hours to follow a provided link and sign up for an appointment.

People are incentivized to sign up as quickly as possible once the pre-registration system goes live around mid-morning on Friday, officials said. Appointment links will be sent out on a first-come, first-serve basis based on eligibility.

"While this should have been done from the very beginning, I'm glad the governor finally decided to take up my bill and establish a vaccine pre-registration system. We must now also ensure he is not just appointment friends of his to run the new system with no oversight. I will continue to push for a full audit and investigation into the governor's no-bid contracting with private companies regarding the vaccine distribution," DiZoglio said.

The announcement of the streamlined booking platform comes six weeks after a turbulent rollout into Phase 2 of the vaccine rollout that on Feb. 1 exposed massive technology shortfalls and left older residents scrambling to book appointments. Those technology failures intensified weeks later when eligibility opened up to about 1 million people over 65 and those with two or more co-morbidities, causing repeated system crashes.

Teachers — as promised — will also get easier access to vaccines with four dates designated as educator-only vaccination days at all seven mass vaccination sites on four Saturdays in March and April.

K-12 educators, school staff and child care workers will be able to use the pre-registration tool to sign up for vaccine appointments on March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 11.

"We will help educators in order to align Massachusetts with the Biden-Harrs administrations directive to states to prioritize teacher vaccinations," Sudders said Wednesday morning. "We do that understanding we are not getting additional state distribution increase in our vaccine."

Massachusetts will continue to receive about 150,000 new first vaccination from the federal government per week through the end of March, Sudders said.

On Thursday, 40,000 of those appointments will open up appointments at mass vaccination sites for the last time. Beginning next week, mass vaccination site appointments must be booked through the new central registration tool.

(c)2021 the Boston Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.