What to know about the COVID-19 vaccination effort in Mass. This week

What to know about the COVID-19 vaccination effort in Mass. This week

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Massachusetts continues to advance its efforts to obtain the Vaccine for covid-19 in as many arms as possible.

With more mass vaccination sites and pharmacies regularly added to the state’s arsenal to distribute doses to people for protection against COVID-19, we have a summary, below, of what you should know when a new week in the vaccination race is underway .

What to know about last week

Massachusetts launched a new website for individuals to search for vaccination sites

THE COVID-19 Vaccine Finder allows individuals to search for vaccination locations near them by entering their zip code, city or city name. The tool will allow individuals to view available appointments at locations, find directions for each location, get directions, or use an MBTA trip planner to travel to the location. Individuals can also filter the results of the vaccination site by type of site, differentiating between mass vaccination sites and those administered by local health departments, retail pharmacies or healthcare institutions.

Although the vaccine locator shows all vaccination locations that are open to residents, it only includes details of appointments for the state’s mass vaccination locations and some locations operated by local health departments.

The state added 30 new retail pharmacies as vaccination sites

By the end of last week, the state reported that more than 50,000 vaccination consultations had been offered at pharmacies.

Massachusetts opened vaccine eligibility for younger companions who accompany people aged 75 and over in their appointments

As of February 11, the state began to allow them to monitor an eligible Phase 2 resident over 75 years of age to schedule their own vaccination appointment at the same place and day. The “companion” option is open to any trusted friend or family member, regardless of age, but is only available at the state’s mass vaccination stations. Individuals must provide a certificate online or through the state hotline 211 for vaccine consultation who are “accompanying someone over 75 to their vaccination appointment” and that the appointment is on the same day.

Since the state announced the new policy, dozens of ads have appeared on Craigslist with individuals offering free travel for seniors to their vaccination appointments so that the poster could also be vaccinated. Some individuals are offering payment – up to $ 200 – for the opportunity. Employees warned the elderly not accept any of the online offers, and some state legislators are appealing to Governor Charlie Baker to terminate the policy for security and equity issues.

What to know this week

Almost the whole Mass. Congressional delegation asks Baker to create a vaccine pre-registration system

Ten of the 11 members of the state’s fully democratic delegation signed a letter to the Republican governor, asking him to create a centralized system that would allow state residents to pre-register and receive notification for nominations for COVID-19. Legislators argued such a system would help employees reach populations where there is an unmet demand for doses and speed up scheduling appointments for professionals and patients.

State is reducing vaccine distribution in hospitals

The change will not affect patients and hospital staff who are already scheduling their first or second dose. Employees I told Boston Globe the state is targeting more doses of the vaccine to high-volume sites, such as “mass vaccination sites, pharmacies and community health centers until more vaccines are available”.

Mass vaccination sites to be opened in Natick and Dartmouth

Eligible individuals can start signing up for appointments at two mass vaccination sites scheduled to open later this month in Natick and Dartmouth, officials announced last week.

The Natick Mall website, run by LabCorp, will open on Monday, February 22 and start offering 500 servings per day, increasing in the following weeks to 3,000 servings per day.

In Dartmouth, the mass vaccination site will open on Wednesday, February 24 in Circuit City with Curative operating as a provider. The site will begin with the administration of 500 doses per day, with the aim of increasing it to more than 2,000 daily doses in the following weeks.

  • Qualified residents can start making appointments for both locations in Thursday, February 18: mass.gov/covidvaccine.

Boston Medical Center is opening 5 public COVID-19 vaccination sites in Boston

All five locations – in South End, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roslindale and Hyde Park – are currently making appointments. The first appointments will begin February 16 at the Morning Star Baptist Church in Mattapan, February 18th at the YMCA Boy in Hyde Park, and February 19 at the Russell Auditorium in Dorchester.

General vaccination information COVID-19 to know

Here is who is currently qualified to schedule appointments:

In Phase 1:

In Phase 2:

Here’s how to make an appointment:

Search and book a vaccination slot through the state’s VaxFinder: https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/

Or visit: mass.gov/covidvaccine

Those aged 75 and over can connect with the state vaccine hotline operator dialing 2-1-1 from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (press 2 for the call center).

According to the state, mass vaccination sites are the most attended on Thursdays, when they update their schedules, while smaller sites offer fewer vacancies and tend to update daily.

A map and a list of the COVID-19 vaccination sites in Massachusetts:

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