COVID Vaccinations Updates
Update 2/17/2021

And changes are back with us, once more.  The Governor announced earlier today that residents who are 65 and older, those who have two or more co-morbidities, and those who live in low income/affordable senior housing are eligible to schedule an appointment to be vaccinated starting tomorrow.  For those struggling with transportation, please check out the information on our COA Bus below.

What follows is our comprehensive materials on the information and questions that we have been asked, information that we have sought, and lessons that we have learned over the past several weeks.

The most important takeaways are: please stay calm, everyone will get vaccinated, it will just take some time; and call us if you get stuck and need help.  As always, please reach out if you have questions, need assistance, or have feedback on how we can improve or provide you with information that you need.

What's New?

Consolidated Site to search for available appointments

Vaccinatema.com is a site created by volunteers and shows available appointments in the geographic area you search, includes some pharmacies, other sites, and PrepMod.  Click here.  We are finding that it does not show AFC in Natick, even though when we check their are still available appointments.  

Vaccination Registration open for 65 and over

If  you are over the age of 65, you can begin getting a vaccination appointment starting on February 18th.  

Vaccination Registration open for Residents with 2+ Comorbidities

If  you are over the age of 65, you can getting a vaccination appointment starting on February 18th.  Have questions on co-morbidities or the process, check the State's page here.

What is considered a co-morbidity?

Two be eligible, a resident must have two or more eligible co-morbidities, according to the State's website, the conditions that qualify are: Asthma (moderate-to-severe); Cancer; Chronic Kidney Disease; COPD; Down Syndrome; Heart Conditions (Heart Failure, Coronary Artery Disease, Cardiomyopathies); Immunocompromised State from solid organ transplant; Obsesity/Severe Obesity (BMI 30kg/m2 or highter); Pregnancy; Sickle Cell Disease; Smoking; and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.  Click here for more information.

Do I need a doctor's note to show co-morbidities?

No.  When scheduling your appointment or at the time of the appointment, you will be required to review the eligibility criteria and confirm you are eligible to receive the vaccine. The attestation will be done verbally over the phone, verbally or in writing at the vaccination site, or online if using an online appointment scheduling tool. You can also follow online instructions and complete the COVID-19 Massachusetts Vaccination Attestation Form available on the mass.gov website. You will not need a doctor’s note or other documentation to show you have two or more of the above conditions. See here for more info.

COA Bus - Wellesley Residents over 60

Are you a Wellesley Resident over the age of 60?  In order to assist with folks getting to vaccine appointments, we will be temporarily extending our service to a few vaccination locations outside of Town.  If you book your appointment at one of these locations on a weekday (Monday-Friday) and after 9:00 a.m. and  before 3:00 p.m., we may be able to assist.  

If you have rode our bus in this past year, you can call MWRTA at (508) 820-4650 directly to schedule a ride.  You will need to tell them the day, time, and location of your appointment and can book up to 14 days in advance.  If you have not rode our bus in the past year, please give us a call at (781) 235-3961 and ask the staff member for assistance with completing a bus application, which takes approximately 5 minutes over the phone.  Once completed, your application will be sent to MWRTA and you will be able to contact MWRTA directly to schedule your trip.

These are the current addresses that we will be able to extend our bus service to at this time:

AFC in Natick- 945 Worcester Street, Natick, MA
Senior Center in Needham- 300 Hillside Ave, Needham, MA 02494
CVS in Newton- 978 Boylston St., Newton, MA 02461

Yes, Age may matter!

I am not 65 yet, but I will be in a few months, can I sign up now?

No.  Unfortunately, the State made a hard cut off at the age of 65 for the second group.  All of the scheduling systems screen the date of birth to ensure that the person signing up is in fact over 65.  If you have two or more co-morbidities, you may still be eligible.  Click here for the State's Phase vaccination plan.

I am under 65 and live in low income and affordable senior housing, when can I sign up for a vaccine?

The State's website indicates that those who live in elderly housing are part of the second tier of Phase 2 and are now eligible to sign-up for the vaccine.  You may also want to check with the administration at your housing location, as many have been working on plans to set up a vaccination clinic for their residents onsite.

Do you need an appointment?

Who has available appointments today?

The newest location our volunteers found was American Family Medicine (AFC) in Natick.  Although they do not appear on the vaccinatema.com website, as mentioned above, they do still continue to show open appointments.   You can go their website here.  You will have to select "COVID 19 Vaccine" in both drop down boxes on the right and then dates will appear, if you click the box all the way to the right of the dates it brings you to a drop down and you can select a different date.  It appears that if you select a date that may have appointments, the date and the appointment times become blue.  Try completing the form, going onto the consent page, and give it a try.  

Which site can I use to find an appointment?

There are two different sites that you can use: the first is the statewide map which can be found here; the second is the state’s central scheduling tool Prep Mod, found here.  The map includes every place in the state that offers vaccines.  It is extremely cumbersome and includes places that are not currently on Phase II, places that are only for residents of particular Towns, and a myriad of independent locations such as pharmacies and healthcare facilities offering the vaccine.  Prep Mod is a much easier to use tool, but it only shows local run clinics. 

With the map, even when you pull up the location you still have to go to a separate website and navigate to find out if there are any openings.  The state has a word document that compiles all locations with the details of who they are serving, their website, and their registration processes here, in the center of the page under downloadable list.

Which sites do COA Volunteers use to book appointments?

At the Wellesley COA, we more than 25 volunteers who are working on the best way to help our seniors land appointments.  

We are continue to keep track of websites that are easier to navigate.  We have been very successful and are using the following:

American Family Care (AFC) 
Natick

Boston: South Boston Cs2ommunity Health Center

Hannaford
Middleborough
Uxbridge
Waltham

Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates-Atrius Health
Needham

Holtzman Medical Group at Mt. Ida Campus (UMass Amherst)
Newton

Mass Vaccination Site: Gillette Stadium
Foxborough

Pharmacy - CVS
Newton
Revere
Wayland

Pharmacy - Walgreens
Saugus
**Requires online account

Pharmacy - Wegmans
Chestnut Hill
Northborough
Westwood

State Wide - Prep Mod
Fenway
Gillette
Danvers
Natick

Southbridge Community Center/Harrington Hospital

Umass Campus
Marlborough

Umass Campus
Worcester

Webster: InterMed Associates at Webster Medical Center

Are there other ways I can get an appointment?

Are there vaccinations available in Wellesley?

As of February 7, there are not currently any locations in Wellesley where someone over the age of 75 can get a vaccine.  The Health Department is working to collaborate with the State to be able to open a clinic in Town over the next few weeks.  We will provide further updates when we know of any locations in Town.

Is my health network offering vaccinations to their patients?

Maybe.  Some of us have noticed when we have logged into our accounts through Mass General-Brigham, Newton Wellesley Hospital or others, that there is a notice to patients that sometime in the near future they will be reaching out to all of their patients over the age of 75 to provide vaccinations.  This may be of help to some who are involved in these systems as time goes.

I am homebound.  How can I get a vaccine?

This is a great question and we have been staying in close contact with the Health Department daily to stay in the loop with any updates.  As of first thing this morning, we do not have an answer yet, however, we will continue meeting with the Health Department and they will continue to work with the State to get an answer.  We will update everyone as we know more.

I am a Veteran, is there another way to get a vaccine appointment?

We were originally sending folks the direction of Nancy, our Veteran's Service agent.  We have since been advised that while Nancy is not the most direct contact for these appointments.  The VA is reaching out directly to all veterans enrolled in the VA Healthcare System. If you meet specific VA criteria, you may be eligible to receive the vaccine from the VA.  The West Suburban Veterans' Service office does not make appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. To enroll in the VA Healthcare System, or ask questions, please call 877-222-VETS (8387). 

I need transportation to get to my appointment...

COA Bus - Wellesley Residents over 60

Are you a Wellesley Resident over the age of 60?  In order to assist with folks getting to vaccine appointments, we will be temporarily extending our service to a few vaccination locations outside of Town.  If you book your appointment at one of these locations on a weekday (Monday-Friday) and after 9:00 a.m. and  before 3:00 p.m., we may be able to assist.  

If you have rode our bus in this past year, you can call MWRTA at (508) 820-4650 directly to schedule a ride.  You will need to tell them the day, time, and location of your appointment and can book up to 14 days in advance.  If you have not rode our bus in the past year, please give us a call at (781) 235-3961 and ask the staff member for assistance with completing a bus application, which takes approximately 5 minutes over the phone.  Once completed, your application will be sent to MWRTA and you will be able to contact MWRTA directly to schedule your trip.

State Program - Caregiver/Companion Eligibility

The State announced that starting on the 11th, Companions/Caregivers of residents over 75 can book appointments for the resident over 75 and the Companion/Caregiver at one of the four mass vaccination sites (Gillette, Fenway, Eastfield Mall Springfield, and Danvers).  See flyer below for more info, or click here.  This is not a program that is run through the COA's and unfortunately we do not have any additional information.  Please consult the site above for more information.  

Appointment Scheduled, but....

I got an appointment and a confirmation, but it was for a vaccination site that said the population served was restricted, does it matter?

Yes, it does matter.  We know from the news and residents first hand that if you sign up and even get a confirmation for a vaccination appointment, that it could be cancelled if you do not actually qualify as the population being served.  And if you do get a vaccination, some residents have had the experience that they are told they are on their own for scheduling their second shot.  Please consult our list of locations down below that are eligible for Wellesley over 75 residents.  If you use the State's vaccination map, please note that at this time NO yellow star is currently open to Wellesley Residents.

How do I get a second appointment ? Does it have to be the same vaccine?

We know that are sites that are connected with Prep Mod, your appointment for your second dose is generated and provided to you during your appointment for your first dose.  CVS provides a second appointment when someone signs up for the first.  We are not as sure with the other pharmacy and/or health facility locations.  But yes, it does have to be the same vaccine (Moderna vs Pfizer).

Question Submitted- Scheduling a second shot without a smart phone

We received a question about concerns over how to sign up for a second shot without a smart phone.  Our understanding is that even in a mass vaccination site, like Fenway, there, are staff available to assist someone with manually signing up for their second shot.  Our understanding is that the staff have been great and helpful, you just need to plan a little extra time.  

Inclement weather is predicted....

When your appointment is close and inclement weather is in the forecast at a local clinic or state vaccination site (you booked on Prep Mod), you can click onto the State's page and see an update on weather.  

Last week the banner read  "In case of closures due to winter weather, vaccination locations will reach out to individuals with appointments to reschedule. If you cannot safely get to your appointment, you can reschedule. Reach out to your location with specific questions." 

Vaccine Options & Info

Which vaccines are available?

The two vaccines that are currently available are the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccine.  The CDC website has more detailed information, click here.

I have more questions about COVID 19 vaccinations, where can I go for information.  

The CDC has a page dedicated to FAQs about the vaccination, click here.

Trouble Shooting - What to know.

When are new appointments being posted/opened?

It is our understanding that appointments are being added regularly and get posted at different days and times depending on the host site, municipality/hospital/mass site/pharmacy.  We do not have an understanding of the trends as of yet.  It is our current understanding that many locations will only post a weeks' appointments at any time as they hold off on posting until they receive confirmation from the state that they will in fact receive vaccinations and the number they can expect. That may explain why we are only seeing a few days in February at this time.

Is there a cost and do I have to have insurance? 

There is no cost for a vaccination.  If you do not have insurance, when you sign up for an appointment online, there should be a box/section to select that says no insurance.

Staying safe, protect yourself from Scams!

Questions about legitimacy of things related to COVID 19?

Check out the Federal Trade Commission's page for the most up-to-date information here.

I Need help!

Would you like a volunteer to reach out?

Please keep in mind that it may be a few days before you hear from a volunteer, but if you would like to be added to the list for assistance, please email use at coa@wellesleyma.gov or call us at (781) 235-3961.

When can I expect to hear from a volunteer?

Volunteers in our Town have been absolutely amazing.  We have more than 25 volunteers who have been vetted, cori'd, and trained available to assist any Wellesley Resident over the age of 75.

In the last several days, we have had 282 households in Town request assistance.  Our volunteers have made appointments for 121 households, 113 households have connected with appointments on their own, and we currently have 14 households where the Volunteers are in progress of connecting residents with appointments.

I need an Attestation form, and cannot print myself.

We will have blank attestation forms outside our front door at our office, 500 Washington Street, available for anyone to pick-up.  They are now in a holder on the front of the building and are accessible any day/time.  

I don't want to use a COA volunteer, but I need help, is there another option?

Yes, the State added the functionality to it's 2-1-1 Hotline to handle calls from Seniors over 75 who are without internet access.  To learn more about that option to assist someone you know, please click here.

What do I need to know/do before my appointment?

What should I have on hand before I go for my appointment?

Some people experience flu like symptoms, so it may be a good idea to have extra fluids (such as Gatorade) on hand.  A thermometer is always good to have too!  

What questions will I be asked before I get the vaccine?

We have had several residents inquire about which questions are used in person before a person gets vaccinated.  Below is the CDC Pre-vaccination checklist for your reference.

What do I need to know/do after my appointment?

I got my vaccine, I have concerns about the side effects, who do I call?

You should call your primary care doctor.  Some locations, such as Fenway and Gillette, that are providing the vaccine also complete the above handout and provide a phone number at the bottom to call, check yours.  If you don't have a primary care doctor, the phone number to call, or have more questions, you can contact the Wellesley Health Department at (781) 235-0135.

How do I stay safe?

Wear a mask

Whether you have had one dose, two doses, or no doses, please remember to wear a mask.  Check updated guidance on mask wearing here.

Travel Guidelines Continue once vaccinated

At this time, vaccinated individuals must continue to follow the Governor’s Travel Order and related testing and quarantine requirements. It is important for everyone to continue using all the public health measures available to help stop this pandemic. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often.

Social Distancing

According to the State's we While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision. (source: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC as of 12/21/20)

I want to stay up-to-date or have questions.

How to stay informed?

We will continue to send out information as it becomes available.  We will continue to work with our volunteers to reach out to any seniors who have asked for assistance.  We will stay positive and keep working to navigate the system to get everyone involved. 

Which websites are the COA's go to?

The Town of Wellesley - COVID 19 Page

The CDC

State of Massachusetts COVID 19

Do you have an unanswered question?

If the answer is not here, and you cannot find it on the Town's site, you can click here to submit a question to us and we will see what we can do about getting answers and posting them in the next email blast.