A proposed vaccine clinic for Tri-Town teachers has been shot down by the state.

The clinic, proposed two weeks ago by Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester and the Old Rochester Regional School District, would have vaccinated over 1,000 teachers in the Tri-Town.

The vaccine would have been made available to all teachers in the ORR school district, Tabor Academy, Old Colony High School, and teachers who live in the Tri-Town.

ORR Superintendent Michael Nelson said that while it was disappointing to have the clinic application denied, it was good that the state is prioritizing teachers in general. 

“I understand there are other vulnerable populations who also need to be vaccinated as quickly as possible — especially the elderly — but vaccinating teachers is a huge step towards safely bringing all students back to our school buildings,” he said. 

Marion spearheaded the effort to host the clinic, which would have been at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center and followed the same format as previous clinics in the town.

“I’m disappointed, obviously,” Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail said. “We’ve put a lot of work into that plan.”

McGrail said that it doesn’t look like there will be an opportunity to reapply for the clinic, as the state continues to prioritize mass vaccination sites over local and regional ones.

According to McGrail, the state advised that the Tri-Town could ask a mass clinic, like the one at Gillette stadium, for an allocation of doses. But McGrail said that “seemed like a non-starter to me.”

The town administrator said Marion will continue to work with state Rep. Bill Straus to continue pushing to get as many of its residents vaccinated as possible.

“The thing that bothers me is that we know we can do it,” McGrail said.

But Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Lorenco wasn’t so phased by the state’s denial of the clinic. He said that in recent weeks, he’s been impressed with the the way the state has been able to improve its vaccine rollout.

“It’s unfortunate, but I don’t think it’s any kind of catastrophe,” Lorenco said.

Still, he noted that the state hasn’t provided much reasoning on the shift to mass vaccination clinics, and that mass sites don’t provide much accomodation for homebound populations.

“They don’t have any idea about those intricacies,” Lorenco said.

For now, though, the town administrator said he’ll “sit back and see” how the state rollout progresses. 

“I don’t mind a local touch though,” Lorenco said.