Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this finds you all healthy and safe. We continue to send periodic updates and to keep you apprised of resources available to you during the pandemic.
As always, constituent services are our top priority. We continue to work remotely and our office is fully functioning. Please contact us if we can be of assistance.
Very truly yours, Joan Meschino
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COVID-19 Vaccination Pre-Registration System Goes Live Friday, March 12 |
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The Baker-Polito Administration announced a new preregistration signup tool will be available for the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites starting tomorrow, Friday, March 12. The new system is intended to simplify the process to book appointments at one of the mass vaccination site as slots become available.
Additional sites will be added to the preregistration system in the coming weeks. When preregistration launches on Friday, it will replace the current booking platforms for mass vaccination sites for online booking. The COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line will be available to help residents without internet access or with difficulty using the internet with the preregistration process.
Preregistration System Basic Information
- The preregistration system for mass vaccination sites launches Friday, March 12. This tool will be available at www.mass.gov/COVIDvaccine.
- Preregistration will allow eligible residents to book an appointment at one of the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites.
Details on the Preregistration Process
- Eligible residents will complete the online form at mass.gov/COVIDVaccine to request an appointment.
- Residents will then receive a confirmation via their preferred method of contact (text, e-mail, phone) and receive a weekly update about their status. Residents may opt out of preregistration at any time if they secure an appointment elsewhere.
- When an appointment becomes available at a mass vaccination site, the resident will be notified and will have 24 hours to accept the appointment. If a resident fails to sign up, the resident return to the queue to wait for another appointment.
- To accommodate older residents and others who are unable to use the form, the preregistration form allows family members, caregivers or other companions to fill out the form on behalf of someone else. Residents who do not have internet access or someone to fill the form out for them can call 2-1-1 to preregister.
Additional Information
- Appointments will be offered to residents based on vaccine eligibility and the availability. The program is only for the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites. More sites will be added to the pre-registration system in April.
- It could take several weeks for eligible, preregistered residents to receive a notification about an available appointment because of lack of vaccine supply.
- Eligible residents are also encouraged to book vaccine appointments at any of the 170 public vaccine sites across the Commonwealth. The state has also allocated a supply of doses to certain health care providers, hospitals and community health centers that will provide instructions to their patients on their vaccine process.
- Once the preregistration system is launched tomorrow, March 12, it will replace the weekly appointment release on Thursdays for mass vaccination sites only. Eligible residents will need to preregister online or contact the call center to request an appointment for a mass vaccination site.
Please see here for more information regarding the preregistration system. |
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Massachusetts Educators Now Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccination |
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Today, March 11th, pursuant to a federal directive, approximately 400,000 K-12 educators, childcare workers and K-12 school staff are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts from any of the 170 public vaccine sites available on mass.gov/covidvaccine.
The state will designate 4 days during when the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites will only offer 1st dose appointments for K-12 educators, child care workers and K-12 school staff. These dates are: Saturday, March 27, Saturday, April 3, Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11
Workers in this group must use the pre-registration system to request an appointment at one of the seven mass vaccination sites and attest they are a K-12 educator, childcare worker or K-12 school staff.
All other vaccine providers (including Regional Collaboratives, such as the one in Marshfield) are encouraged, but not required, to restrict their appointments to K-12 educators, child care workers and K-12 school staff on the same dates for consistency. Providers may designate alternative dates, in lieu of the 4 dates designated by the State, if necessary. These dates will be posted for all clinics next week.
K-12 educators, childcare workers and K-12 school staff are urged to book appointments through mass.gov/COVIDvaccine beginning on March 11 as well as to book through the federal retail pharmacy program’s CVS website. Given the limited supply of vaccine, K-12 educators, childcare workers and K-12 school staff may not receive vaccine until mid-April or later. |
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Important Links and Resources |
- Reach out to [email protected] with questions regarding the vaccination prioritization
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HandholdMA.org website for parents of school-aged children in Massachusetts concerned about their child's mental health.
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Massachusetts residents can seek COVID-19 testing through the Stop the Spread Initiative which provides free testing in high-priority locations.
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DESE's report on the number of positive COVID-19 cases in schools.
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SafeLink 24/7 Crisis Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: 877-785-2020.
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Visit your town websites to learn the most recent information, local services, and guidance from our municipal officials.
State Resources
Federal Resources
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