Phase 2 Covid vaccination eligibility current includes those age 55+ and PreK-12 educators/workers, and those with certain medical conditions. Everyone age 16+ will be eligible beginning on April 19 (at present, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for ages 16-17).
In addition to the pre-registration system for mass vaccination sites, those seeking vaccine appointments may also want to try periodically checking the direct links below for sites in our area. Baystate, which is very well run, has had some openings available from time to time. The clinic at UMass Campus Center has had openings available in recent days. Northampton and Amherst are collaborating and have announced that they will release their appointments on Monday mornings at 11:00am. Baystate, Noho Senior Center, and Amherst have had both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, though a choice is not always available. Appointments can sometimes be found at CVS, Big Y, and Stop & Shop, through their systems.
- Baystate Health-Holyoke, near Holyoke Mall (no health card photo required to date)
https://workwell.apps.baystatehealth.org/guest/covid-vaccine/register?r=mafirstresp210121 - UMass Campus Center (appointments have recently become available on Fridays at 4pm)
https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/vaccine - Northampton Senior Center (PrepMod registration may require health card photo)
https://www.northamptonma.gov/2219/COVID-19-Vaccination-Clinics - Amherst-Bangs Center (Information and assistance: 413-259-2425)
https://www.amherstcovid19.org/vaccine - Eastfield Mall-Springfield—PRE-REGISTRATION SYSTEM
Appointments for the state’s 7 mass vaccination sites (more sites to be added in April), including the one at Eastfield Mall in Springfield, are available through the state’s pre-egistration system (new appointments drop on Thursdays). Those who sign up for preregistration will receive weekly updates and will be notified about available appointments at mass vaccination locations; once notified, you’ll have 24 hours to accept and book the appointment. You can opt out at any time if you find an appointment elsewhere.
The state’s main vaccine locator website is: https://vaxfinder.mass.gov
Two other useful vaccine locator sites have been created by volunteer groups:
https://www.macovidvaccines.com | https://vaccinatema.com
Sign up for Dr. B, a standby list/notification system for for extra doses:
https://hidrb.com/
Text and email notification system created by volunteers:
https://www.covidvaccinetexts.com/ | https://macovidvaxhelp.com/
Pioneer Valley Vax (@ValleyVax) monitors and posts local availability on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ValleyVax
Those without internet or having difficulty with preregistration can call the State Resource Line at 2-1-1 for assistance.
State senator Jo Comerford, has compiled additional information about vaccinations in western MA on her website at: https://senatorjocomerford.org/constituent-guide-to-covid-19/#Vaccine
Massachusetts COVID Vaccination Help:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Securing Your Appointment
https://macovidvaxhelp.com/resources?locale=en
To help eligible people seeking to book their own appointments, a volunteer group organizer has created a resource page showing how-to steps to research, prepare to book, search for, and secure an appointment (see the link above). A story published in the Boston Globe on 3/2/21 describes a volunteer group of mostly young women who have banded together to help those eligible for vaccination land appointments. Frustration with the process has been particularly keen especially among older residents who find the system difficult to navigate, but even those with technical expertise have been stymied by the process.