BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston's historic Fenway Park opened its doors to the city's residents Friday as a COVID-19 vaccination site.
Many people who got their shot at the ballpark Friday were first responders and healthcare workers, eligible under Phase One of the state's vaccination plan.
Starting Monday February 1st, Fenway is expected to ramp up to administering 500 doses of the vaccine per day, eventually reaching 1,000 doses per day as more people become eligible to book an appointment.
Fenway Park is the second sports stadium in Massachusetts to convert to a COVID-19 vaccination site amid the pandemic. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, home to the New England Patriots, opened as the state's first vaccine site in December.
On January 27th, appointments also became available for adults over 75 to get their first COVID-19 vaccine shot beginning February 1st. However, many residents said they had trouble finding any appointments available online.
Read More: What People 75 And Up Need To Know About Vaccine Appointments In Mass.
Gov. Charlie Baker said he was informed Tuesday by the Biden-Harris Administration that states should expect to receive additional vaccines "soon," but he said his Administration has not received specific details yet on the size of the shipment increase or the delivery schedule.
Cataldo Ambulance Service said it put out a call to healthcare professionals who would be willing to help with vaccine deployment at Fenway Park.
Cataldo said their ongoing recruitment campaign, “Stick it to COVID,” has resulted in over 3,500 applications so far.
"Many of those who responded are the same healthcare heroes who, along with Cataldo EMS staff, have been fighting this pandemic all along," Cataldo said. "Partnering with the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston, Cataldo has been able to safely register, train, and onboard over 600 vaccination staff to date, and scheduled them to work at the Fenway site."
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Written by Brit Smith
(Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio)