At a Feb. 10 press conference, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that, effective Feb. 11, the state will allow one individual who accompanies a person age 75 or older to a mass vaccination site to be vaccinated as well, as long as they have an appointment.
To schedule an appointment for an older resident and companion, go to mass.gov/covidvaccine and choose two separate appointments at either the same time or adjacent times. For the companion appointment, choose the option “I am accompanying someone who is age 75+ to their vaccination appointment.” In addition, it will soon be adding two new mass vaccination sites—one at the Natick Mall, which will open Feb. 22, and another at the Circuit City store in Dartmouth, opening Feb. 24.
Council on Aging Director Debbie Thompson told the Press that Harvard Help drivers are now eligible for vaccination under Phase 1 as non-COVID-facing health care workers. She stressed that this applies only to those who are currently Harvard Help volunteers.
In other Harvard news, Bowers Brook Apartments will be running a clinic next week for its residents 75 and older. Management of the complex set up the clinic with the help of a local pharmacy. Thompson said she continues to work with the Harvard Board of Health and the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health to set up a clinic at Foxglove Apartments.
Scheduling an appointment continues to be a challenge for older residents, according to Thompson. She said while Gillette Stadium in Foxborough is far away, appointments are usually available there. “You can stay in your car, and workers will let you know when it’s time to get your shot,” she said. Wheelchairs are available.
Thompson said the Council on Aging is available to help schedule appointments; call 978-456-4120. In addition to providing help with the state website, the COA sometimes receives 12 spots for the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health’s weekly Wednesday clinic in Devens. Thompson estimates there are between 200 and 250 Harvard residents in the 75 and over age group still to be vaccinated, so she is trying to reserve those spots for elder residents who have difficulty going out. Anyone who is in this category, or knows of someone in this category, can call the COA. The van is available to take residents to the Devens clinic.
Last week, the state opened a call center for residents 75 and older who are unable to access or use the state website. Dial 2-1-1 for assistance; wait times may be long. The call center is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. If no appointment is available at a location acceptable to the caller, workers will put them on a callback list and let them know when an appointment at a preferred location becomes available. Note that call center workers use the same state website to find available vaccination appointments that the general public is using; they do not have access to any other vaccination locations or appointments.
Two new websites, constructed by private citizens, claim to automatically compile up-to-date vaccine availability information from the state website to save users the effort of clicking every location looking for open appointments. Those sites are macovidvac cines.com and vaccinatema.com. Both sites simply gather availability information from mass.gov/covidvaccine; users must still go through the same appointment process as on the state website.
There is no specific start date yet for the next Phase 2 group, which will be residents age 65 and older, people with two or more medical conditions that put them at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and residents and staff of public and private low-income and affordable senior housing.
