The Baker-Polito Administration’s numerous vacillations on the vaccine rollout reflect a lack of good planning and a failure to follow plans that were in place. Long-standing plans for vaccinations through local public health agencies were scrapped at the last minute. Initial plans for vaccinations through hospitals were abruptly ended after they had begun. Yes, the supply of vaccines has been limited, but that was known in advance. The receipt of vaccines has mostly met the federal government’s predictions, with a few minor, short-term glitches, and the current pace is exceeding initial predictions. Other states had well-functioning pre-registration and sign-up websites for vaccinations months before Massachusetts. Constant changes and poor communication by the Baker-Polito Administration have led to confusion, anxiety, frustration, and rancor. Its vaccine rollout has been called unpredictable, shaky, full of twists and turns as well as whiplash, messy, and a rollercoaster ride. All of these descriptions are other ways of saying that the Baker-Polito Administration’s vaccine rollout has been a management and leadership failure. This echoes previous pandemic failures of testing, delivering unemployment benefits, protecting nursing and soldiers’ home residents, and addressing homelessness and housing issues. And all of this echoes previous failures at the State Police, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the MBTA.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/17/metro/pivots-reversals-mark-bakers-vaccine-rollout/