This week’s COVID-19 Update is brought you by the COVID-19 Command Center Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. The next report will come out April 15th.
As of Monday, April 5th, residents 55+ and residents with one certain medical condition are now eligible to receive vaccine at any of the Commonwealth’s over 300 vaccination locations, including 269 pharmacy locations. With this group, more than 1 million additional residents will be eligible for vaccine in the Commonwealth.
The Administration was informed last week of a one-time increased shipment of over 100,000 J&J vaccines that arrived in the state earlier this week.
Depending on supply from the federal government, it could take weeks for people to be notified that an appointment is available at a mass vaccination site.
Individuals can learn more about the Commonwealth’s vaccination sites and pre-registration by visiting vaxfinder.mass.gov
Preregistration Form for Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccines at Mass Vaccination Locations by visiting VaccineSignUp.mass.gov
Individuals with One Certain Medical Condition Now Eligible for Vaccine
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic lung diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-tosevere), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension
- Dementia or other neurological conditions
- Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension)
- HIV infection
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
- Liver disease
- Overweight and obesity
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
- Smoking, current or former
- Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
- Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain
- Substance use disorders
Administration Announces Expansion of Pre-Registration System
The Administration is building a feature into the pre-registration system to allow individuals who have already registered to update their information to reflect the new medical conditions recognized by the CDC and Massachusetts. This feature will be made available soon.
To date, around 1.5 million people have preregistered using the system, with over 800,000 having been contacted with the opportunity to book appointments. The Administration will continue to make improvements to the system in the weeks ahead, to make the process even easier as more people become eligible.
Review of those that qualify for the vaccine:
Phase One: (December – February)
- Clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers doing direct and COVID-facing care
- Long term care facilities, rest homes and assisted living facilities
- First responders (EMS, Fire, Police)
- Congregate care settings (including corrections and shelters)
- Home-based healthcare workers Healthcare workers doing non-COVID-facing care
Phase Two: (February – April)
- Individuals 75+
- Individuals 65+ and individuals with 2+ certain medical conditions (those that are at increased risk for severe illness)
- K-12 educators, K-12 school staff and child care workers
- Individuals 60+ and workers in certain sectors (including transit, grocery, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works and public health workers)
- Individuals 55+ and individuals with one certain medical condition
Phase Three: (***Starting April 29th***)
- Individuals age 16+
Important links
MA Vaccination sites and pre-registration: vaxfinder.mass.gov
Preregistration Form for Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccines at Mass Vaccination Locations: VaccineSignUp.mass.gov
Info on Vaccine Distribution: mass.gov/COVIDvaccine
Multilingual resources on COVID-19 (English, Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, French, Somali: https://www.mass.gov/info-
