There is an article in today’s Boston globe that I can’t provide a link to as it’s paywalled (yes, I understand they are in the business of selling news, but I hate paywalls).
Anyway, my friend Melinda was kind enough to photograph the entire article for me.
The paragraph that caught Melinda’s attention was the following:
‘One sign that the Baker administration is trying to speed the process came in an e-mail to hospitals Wednesday immediately granting them permission to vaccinate all their workers, including those working remotely or in back offices. It also said hospitals could use existing vaccines on “selected high-risk patients.” ‘
Well heck. If MGH can vaccinate those employees working remotely or in back offices, then they can probably vaccinate high risk patients while they’re at it. And it doesn’t take a stretch of imagination to picture those with thoracic cancers as being not just in the high, but in the extraordinarily high risk category. COVID attacks the lungs and those of us with thoracic cancers have lungs that are already compromised.
Worse still, many of us do not have the option of receiving our treatment remotely. Nope. I am certain I spend more time at the main campus or one of MGH’s satellites than many of their employees–clearly a risky environment for one who is immunocompromised. Plus, as a participant in a clinical trial, aren’t I a medical worker of a sort? I’m certainly on the front line of cancer discovery. According to the protocol, I am also a volunteer. My guess is that other hospital volunteers are offered the vaccine.
So. Just a little food for thought. From a person who is sometimes invited to sit at the table, (and more and more frequently, the one with the grown-ups at it) but who is also accustomed to being served last.
xo
life and breath: outliving lung cancer 
It’s mind boggling. Wish you live in NH. Greg has a date in February.
I am so glad that you brought attention to this issue! I think that it’s unforgivable our governor gave hospitals the go ahead to vaccinate their workers who aren’t even in the office when high-risk patients are being told to wait their turn. Hope you get your vaccine soon!
I totally agree.
I may be lucky though…fingers crossed.
Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute in Nashville where i do my clinical trial expects to start vaccinating their patients in February. Hopefully I may be able to also get the vaccine in February in Ohio where I live. Ohio allows people under 65 with severe lung disease who have been hospitalized due to it in the past year to join the vaccine appointment queue in early February.
It is crazy that the amount of justice depends on each state!