Raytheon facility will serve as Portsmouth’s vaccination site
First doses to be distributed to ages 75 and up
PORTSMOUTH — The Town of Portsmouth has teamed up with Raytheon Missiles and Defense to use its Providence Building, located off West Main Road, to serve as the COVID-19 Vaccine Point of Dispensing (POD) Clinic for the town.
“Those 75 and older will be first and only ones to receive the vaccine as soon as it becomes available. We will distribute from oldest to youngest,” Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr. told the Town Council Monday night, adding that an “eligibility team” is still compiling a list of those senior citizens to receive the vaccine.
Earlier this month the town received 90 doses of the vaccine, which were distributed last week to Portsmouth residents 75 and older during an initial state trial program at the East Bay Regional Vaccination Clinic at the Quinta-Gamelin Center in Bristol, Mr. Rainer said. (Local first responders and home health aides were vaccinated in December.) The “real program” will begin soon at the Raytheon building, he said.
To sign up for the 75-and-older eligibility list, e-mail vaccine@portsmouthri.com or leave a message at the 401/643-0323 hotline from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Leave your name, date of birth, e-mail address if applicable, and phone number. You can also visit the online signup link and enter information here.
“The signup is not registering you for a shot. It’s to get on the list,” the administrator said. Those who sign up will be contacted when vaccine doses become available from the state. If you’ve already signed up, there’s no need to do it again, he added.
“As of today, we anticipate it may take more than two months to vaccinate those 75 and older. We are asking everyone to be patient,” Mr. Rainer said.
Should you need to cancel or reschedule a vaccine appointment, do so as soon as possible at 401/643-0323 or 401/477-2172, so the town can provide another senior the appointment slot. Cancelations and rescheduling will not change your priority status.
The administrator said he was grateful for Raytheon’s assistance in providing a space.
“Raytheon has always been a proactive supporter of our community, and the site they have provided will help ensure vaccines will be administered to our residents in a safe, convenient, easily accessible and efficient way. We could not have asked for a better site, or supporting private sector partner,” Mr. Rainer said.
If you have more questions about the Portsmouth COVID-19 vaccination program, contact Portsmouth's EMA Director Ray Perry at 401/477- 2172, or rperry@portsmouth.com.
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