This information is from a Commonwealth of Massachusetts memo dated 1/25/2021.
Beginning Monday, February 1st, people ages 75 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts. The COVID-19 vaccine is provided free of charge.
Find a vaccine location at: https://www.maimmunizations.org/clinic/search?page=1
When can I get vaccinated?
Vaccinations for people ages 75 or older will begin on February 1st and continue throughout the remainder of the winter and into the spring and summer. Appointment scheduling for these individuals will start to become available as early as Wednesday, January 27th.
The current COVID-19 vaccines require two doses. You will not be fully vaccinated until you receive both doses, and both doses should be administered at the same site.
Eligibility
People ages 75 and older are eligible for the vaccine beginning on February 1st. Please note, it may take several weeks to get an appointment at a location near you. As more vaccine supply arrives in Massachusetts, additional appointments will become available.
Locations to Get Vaccinated
There are several locations where individuals who are ages 75 or older may receive vaccinations. Because vaccine supply is limited, you may need to wait several weeks to schedule an appointment. Please visit the Commonwealth’s webpage with vaccination sites for the current list of open sites, including:
- A mass vaccination site launched by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Examples of these sites include Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park, the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Danvers, the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury and others. These sites currently have the most availability for appointments.
- Some local Boards of Public Health administering the vaccine.
- Some local pharmacies administering the vaccine.
- Some primary care providers will be offering vaccines to patients later in the vaccine distribution process. If you are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from your primary care provider, there is no need to contact your provider at this time. Primary care providers may reach out with more information or to schedule an appointment when vaccine is available. There is no vaccine waitlist or similar sign-up process with primary care providers.
- Your housing property. If you live in an eligible public or private affordable low income senior housing there may be an onsite clinic being planned.
Please note that this list will be updated frequently as new sites come on line.
Assistance Scheduling an Appointment
If you are unable to schedule an appointment online or would like assistance with the scheduling process, more information will be shared in the coming days. Some resources that may be able to assist you include, but are not limited to, the following local organizations:
- Local Council on Aging or Senior Center
- Regional Aging Services Access Points (ASAP)
Additional information on ways to get assistance scheduling an appointment will be shared as they become available.
If you are unable to leave your home due to health conditions for a routine medical appointment, additional information regarding vaccination options will be released shortly to ensure all eligible people are able to access the vaccine.
Eligibility Criteria
When scheduling your appointment or at the time of the appointment, you will be required to review the eligibility criteria and confirm you are eligible to receive the vaccine. The attestation will be done verbally over the phone, verbally or in writing at the vaccination site, or online if using an online appointment scheduling tool with the COVID-19 Massachusetts Vaccination Attestation Form. When the appointment is scheduled, the vaccination site will provide specific details on any information you may need to bring to the appointment. If you have an insurance card, please bring it with you to the appointment, although it is not required to receive the vaccine. You will not need to provide a Social Security card or government issued identification to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. You will never be asked for a credit card number to make an appointment.
COVID-19 Vaccine Importance and Safety
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe. The available COVID-19 vaccines are approved and recommended by the FDA and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices following standard testing and approval processes. The vaccine will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus. Vaccines undergo rigorous testing and large clinical trials before they are approved for widespread use. Vaccination is the best protection for these individuals to reduce the risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. Getting vaccinated may also protect others around you who have not yet received the vaccine.
It will be important to continue to wear masks any time you are outside of your home until enough people are vaccinated. While the vaccines have been shown to be effective in helping the person vaccinated not get seriously ill from COVID-19, they have not yet been proven to reduce that person’s ability to transmit COVID-19 to others. Until we know more, continue to stay at least six feet away from other people, wear a mask, and wash hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
If you have any concerns about getting the vaccine due to a medical condition, please discuss these concerns with your primary care physician.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccine safety visit www.mass.gov/COVIDVaccineSafety.