NEEDHAM, MASS.—Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform, in partnership with Newton-Wellesley Hospital, announced the use of its temporarily unoccupied global corporate headquarters in Needham, Mass. as a community vaccination center for eligible Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Mass General Brigham patients starting on February 3, 2021.
Vaccine recipients must fall within the appropriate distribution groups set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts public health guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, as well as current Newton-Wellesley Hospital or Mass General Brigham patients. Details available here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-distribution-timeline-phase-overview#phase-1-.
Newton-Wellesley Hospital will manage the vaccine program and plans to operate seven days a week to maximize patient access to the vaccine. Only patients with approved scheduled appointments will be accommodated—there will be no walk-in service. Newton-Wellesley Hospital aims to initially vaccinate 630 patients per day, depending on supply, and has plans to expand access as appropriate.
“The way to a post-pandemic world includes the equitable distribution of a vaccine, and we’re pleased we can partner with Newton-Wellesley Hospital to make this community vaccination center a reality,” said Steve Kaufer, CEO and co-founder of Tripadvisor, Inc. “We’re glad to do our part to help our local community recover from COVID-19, and encourage others in the private sector to explore how they might use their resources to speed the vaccination process so we can all move beyond this pandemic.”
“We are thrilled to partner with our local neighbor, Tripadvisor, so we can quickly provide a potentially life-saving vaccine to our patients,” said Errol R. Norwitz, MD, President of Newton-Wellesley Hospital. “As an organization focused on providing accessible, high-quality medical care, we are grateful to join with an organization like Tripadvisor that shares our goal of meeting the needs of our local community.”
