COVID-19 vaccination clinic held at West Springfield Senior Center

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – As nationwide efforts are trying to get more COVID-19 shots into peoples arms, we are seeing more local vaccine clinics pop up in our area.

It’s a common site at this point during the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccination clinics popping up all over western Massachusetts in efforts to get more shots into arms. Some people came out to the Senior Center in West Springfield to do just that, even parents bringing there children to get vaccinated.

Nurse Nicolette Barcomb from Behavioral Health Network told 22News, “So far we’ve seen 20 to 25 kids. We had I think about 60 total today between kids and adults but a good portion of that were the kids.”

Currently, just over 5.2 million people are fully vaccinated in Massachusetts. In Hampden County, state data shows that this part of western Massachusetts continues to lag behind other parts of the state when its comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. State data also showing trends of new cases continuing to drop after peaking in early January, with hospitalizations also decreasing.

“We are seeing rates of COVID decreasing right now and we are seeing more and more vaccinations. You know the more people that are getting vaccinated, we do see the drop in COVID cases. It’s important so you can safely see your family and not have to worry being admitted to the hospital,” said Barcomb.

Currently, people ages 5 and up are eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has also recently been completely approved by the FDA for adults 18 and older.