First things first, are you eligible?

Massachusetts has just begun Phase II, beginning on February 1st. Adults aged 75 and over are now eligible to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine. We have all been waiting for this moment, so it is hard to find an open appointment.

Be prepared that you may not find a slot right away, so keep trying. It can take several tries before something opens up. Some sites are limited to a specific geographic area.

Keep trying! It is a great feeling when a slot opens.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has set up a centralized website to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine. This is where you can sign up for one of the larger vaccination sites at Gillette Stadium or Fenway Park. Framingham, Wellesley and Weston also have signs-up for their residents through this site as well. Here is a list of all current vaccination sites.

Information needed when signing up: Your name, address, email, phone number, health insurance information, and birthday

You need to fill out all the boxes that are marked with a red asterisk. The site will ask you to upload your health insurance card, but if you do not have a picture of your card, or you don’t know how to upload it, you can skip this step.

They will then ask you questions about your health including recent exposures to COVID-19, allergic reactions to previous vaccine and more.

Due to high demand and constrained vaccine supply, COVID-19 Vaccination appointments are limited. More appointments will be available based on the supply of vaccines from the federal government. Appointments will be added on a rolling basis. Thursday is the best day to make an appointment as that is the day the sites know how much vaccine they will receive in the coming week.

You may also try this new website recently launched by a local Massachusetts software developer: https://www.macovidvaccines.com/ which may make it easier to find available appointments, however this too may present technology-related challenges for some and limitations in supplies may make it hard to find an appointment nearby.

Another resource Massachusetts recently launched is a vaccination hotline for older adults who are having trouble making an appointment through the website. By calling 2-1-1 Monday-Friday between 8:30a – 5:00p they can make an appointment. If there are not any appointments near them, older adults can choose to be placed on a call-back list to be notified of appointments closer to their homes. Again, patience is advised, as there is still limited availability.

Allies in Aging JFS Elder Care Solutions private pay geriatric care management practice has been helping its clients sign up for the vaccine.

Contact us and get support today!