As Haverhill marks the milestone of one year since the city’s first coronavirus case, Mayor James J. Fiorentini says COVID-19 vaccines are on the way and better days lie ahead.
The mayor gave the update earlier this week before the City Council, saying that two vaccination locations are opening in Haverhill.
“The first new clinic is the Health Department Clinic which will operate out of the Citizens Center. This clinic has been assured of 600 doses of vaccine per week and they will start next week. The second site, that will be operated by Haverhill Family Health. It will be located in Central Plaza, right next to Market Basket. That site will start with 200 per day and will ramp up, hopefully, to get to 4,000 a week. That site will be open to anyone who lives or works in Haverhill or the surrounding region,” the mayor said.
Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill, accepts residents by appointment here, next Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Residents may visit haverhillrec.com to get on a waiting list. Those without a computer may call 978-374-2390.
The Haverhill Family Health Center begins offering vaccines Monday, March 15, 9 a.m.-noon, at the former Rite Aid in Central Plaza in downtown Haverhill. Register online here.
In addition, the mayor told councilors the recently passed $1.9 trillion federal stimulus plan contains money to help cities and towns recover from problems caused by the coronavirus, but he admitted it is still unclear exactly how that money is available and how it can be used.
“Haverhill will get millions of dollars. We know we can use it for water and wastewater. We can use it for broadband. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to fix some of our infrastructure, to improve it and make it better,” Fiorentini said.
The mayor said the city will hold public meetings to obtain residents’ input on how best to spend the money.