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BOSTON – The Baker-Polito administration announced a hotline to help senior citizens, age 75 and older, get COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
Appointments, while significantly limited at this time, can be scheduled online by visiting www.mass.gov/COVIDVaccineMap
Residents can select a location from the map on the website and follow prompts to schedule an appointment online.
Individuals 75 and older who are unable to use or have difficulty accessing the internet to schedule an appointment online may use the Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line:
Call 2-1-1 and follow prompts for assistance booking an appointment
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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The Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line is available in English and Spanish and will have translators available to support residents in approximately 100 additional languages.
Individuals ages 75 and older will be able to speak to a representative live on the phone to assist them with an appointment through the state’s online system. These representatives have the same access to appointments as on the public website; it will not give individuals access to additional appointments.
If no appointments are available, callers will have the option to be placed on a call back list for the mass vaccination sites. The caller will receive a call back when an appointment becomes available for them at a mass vaccination site, and the list will be called on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line is currently only for individuals ages 75 and older who cannot use or have difficulty accessing the internet and therefore are unable to schedule an appointment through the online platforms.
The Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line is only able to support individuals with scheduling an appointment and representatives are not able to answer general questions about COVID-19 or provide individual health care advice.
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Due to extremely high demand for appointments and limited vaccine supply, appointments are getting booked quickly.
As of now, vaccination sites post appointments weekly, and some smaller sites post more regularly. If you are unable to secure an appointment, please continue to check the website.
Appointments can be booked at different provider types (i.e., mass vaccination sites, pharmacies, local vaccination sites) and are located in several communities statewide.
Steps to book an appointment:
1. Visit www.mass.gov/CovidVaccineMap and click on the map.
2. Select a location and schedule an appointment online
3. Have your important information with you, such as your insurance card
4. Fill out the self-attestation form, which will need to be presented at your appointment
More resources are currently being developed by the state to support the booking process for residents ages 75 and older and will be announced soon.
Information for community organizations and individuals ages 75 and older can be found at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccinations-for-people-ages-75-and-older.
Vaccinations for people ages 75 or older began on February 1 and continue throughout the remainder of the winter and into the spring and summer.
It may take several weeks to get an appointment at a location near you.
As more vaccine supply arrives in the Massachusetts, additional appointments will become available.
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APPOINTMENT INFORMATION:
Vaccines are provided free of charge.
When the appointment is scheduled, the vaccination site will provide specific details on any information you may need to bring to the appointment. Please bring your insurance card to your appointment, if you have one. No one will be denied the vaccine due to lack of insurance. 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.
SITE LOCATIONS:
Vaccines are available at many different sites that are open to the public, such as:
• A mass vaccination site launched by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Examples of these sites include Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park, Eastfield Mall in Springfield and the DoubleTree Hotel in Danvers. These sites currently have the most availability for appointments and post a large number of appointments once a week on Thursdays.
• Some local Boards of Public Health administering the vaccine.
• Some local pharmacies administering the vaccine.
• Some primary care providers will be offering the vaccine to patients later in the 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 process to sign up for with primary care providers.
• Your housing property, if you live in eligible public or private affordable low income senior housing there may be an onsite clinic being planned.
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VACCINE 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. 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. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine safety visit www.mass.gov/COVIDVaccineSafety.
MetroWest Medical Center