Nearly 2 million Massachusetts residents have been completely vaccinated against COVID-19. Nearly 3 million got their first shots and probably booked their second shots.
But on Monday, April 19, the rest of the adult population will be eligible to sign up for a vaccine appointment. People who live or work in Massachusetts, 16 years or older, will now get the chance. The state estimates about 1.7 million people will be eligible on this day (they previously said it was 2.55 million people) – the largest group to get the trek pass in one day. And on a state holiday, Patriots’ Day, to begin.
The demand will initially surely overwhelm the supply. Government Charlie Baker is urging residents to be patient and expect it to take several weeks to conclude an appointment.
This past Tuesday, the CDC and FDA recommended a break for the use of the J&J vaccine while investigating after six women who received the shot had blood clots. While this will obviously affect the number of available appointments, Baker said it is not a major disruption because the state mostly administers Moderna and Pfizer.
The state’s online booking system had some failures early in implementation, but Baker reiterated that the site had been improved, and was put under stress tests in preparation for the expected increase in traffic next week.
However, there are still many ways to discuss vaccine appointments, and this can get a little confusing. We gathered tips from Massachusetts residents who have grabbed their slots and other resources to make the process a little easier.
The advice of the day is to do everything: keep searching and make sure you are aware of all the options at your disposal.
Pre-register with the state
First things first. The state’s primary way of getting people vaccinated is through its mass vaccination sites. Go to this website and pre-register to get a chance at one of the seven state-run large-capacity websites, or at six local co-operation agreements. (You can see the list of locations here.)
The state will contact you, via your preferred method of communication, to book an appointment when a slot opens. Then you have 24 hours to confirm that you want the appointment. It may take a while before the state tells you it’s a booking time, but you will not wait in radio silence. The system sends weekly emails to confirm that you are still on the list.
Baker said many people use the pre-registration system as a ‘safety valve’ while looking for pharmacies, clinics or appointments elsewhere. (Last week, about 300,000 of the 1.5 million people who pre-registered canceled, indicating that many of them found an appointment again.)
If you are not content to sit and wait, there are more ways to hunt for an appointment. But hey, if you pull a slot elsewhere, you have to cancel it if the state comes knocking so someone else can take your place.
General tips
Check out the state’s vaccination portal, where you will find most places and times for appointments. Here are some suggestions as you look:
- Watch appointments in the middle of the night, or very early in the morning.
- Consider where you can travel ahead of time – if you have easy transportation or a lot of time to kill, you might want to consider a bit of searching. “Do not limit yourself to the country,” wrote Stephen Benson, of Salem, who was shot in Dartmouth. “If it’s important to get vaccinated, you have to put in the extra effort and take the time to go everywhere to get one.”
- Use a computer instead of a smartphone (according to many readers, it is easier to insert all the information and open pages in new tabs on the computer).
- Open links to possible appointments on a new tab (here’s how to do it) in case it’s been booked by the time you get to the page, so you can go back to the main page and find another time.
- Keep your insurance information ready (but remember, you can still book an appointment if you do not have insurance).
- Be persistent! “Keep refreshing your screen until you’m successful,” says Nina Ferry, from West Tisbury.
Retail Pharmacies
There are vaccine appointments at certain CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Costco and Osco locations. You can find on this state website which retail sites in your area provide vaccinations, but you will be redirected to the website of each store to book. (Some people recommend setting up an account early – or finding your old password – to speed up the sign-up process.)
Many of our readers subscribe to say that they are successful in booking a vaccine appointment by visiting pharmacy websites regularly and early in the morning. Mike Lewis, of Hingham, said he and his wife found that the Walgreens website was updated on the hour with new appointments.
Two readers told us that they used a lot specific trick during the discussion on the CVS website. Kristin Hall, of Weston, and Gideon Klionsky, of Somerville, say that once you get to the CVS website, you choose another state that you think might have appointments available (like Arizona or Wisconsin). Once you have gone through some questions, you can specify your correct preferred location. This is where you will type in your zip code, city or even “Massachusetts”.
“Because they have such a large demand, these slots do not last long, and it will usually appear as if there are none, but you can be happy if people cancel double appointments or if new slots are added in a few days,” says Klionsky. . There is an explanatory post on how they can follow their suggestions here, but there are no promises that it was not a short-term mistake that was fixed.
Pick up the phone or contact your healthcare provider
Consult your local health council, health care providers or community health centers. Certain towns, hospitals and providers offer the vaccine, but you may need to be a resident or patient there. Here, for example, is an overview of different places to get the vaccine for Boston residents.
“Do not rely solely on the state’s website,” Lorelle Croall of Quincy told us. “Go to health centers in the area and communities, because they often have their own registration pages and are not included in the results of the states.”
Native American residents can contact Anderson, NAICOB executive director Raquel Halsey, with their tribal health departments, the North American Indian Center of Boston, IHS, or the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs, Anderson.
If you are unable to make an appointment online due to computer or internet problems, the state has set up a hotline at 2-1-1 to help.
Rely on the kindness of strangers (and the internet)
Several social media accounts and websites keep up with the opening of appointments.
The one tip I heard the most is to follow @vaccinetime on Twitter. The Twitter bot, created by Dan Cahoon, scrapes the state’s website to notify fans when appointments appear.
There is also a Twitter account specifically for places in the Pioneer Valley: @ValleyVax.
Keep an eye on sites like: macovidvaccines.com (or follow on Twitter at @macovidvaccines), vaccinatema.com and vaccinespotter.com. It’s a faster way to see what places are available across the state. You can go to macovidvaccinefinder.org to sign up for email alerts when new appointments appear.
Seek out a “vaccine hunter” for a little more help. Since the rollout began, many self-proclaimed “vaccine hunters” have begun helping strangers secure their shots.
“Hunters regularly donate their time to plan vaccinations for anyone who qualifies and struggles,” says Anne Gierahn, of Brookline, who says she plans more than 100 appointments for people.
Many of these groups offer to book the appointment for you, or if you do not want to share your personal information, you can book it yourself. Readers suggested going to macovidvaxhelp.com and emailing
Insurance and ID
You do not need to have a medical insurance or proof of identity to get the vaccine. Almost all clinics ask for one or both things, but do not be alarmed if you do not have them! The state ensures that the vaccine is available to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Clinics ask for your ID to confirm your name in the vaccination system, but you do not have to provide it. The Department of Public Health will keep track of your vaccination, but the database is kept as confidential as a medical report from a physician.
The state also says that taking a vaccine does not have a negative effect on someone’s immigration status. The federal government has confirmed that it will not consider COVID-19 treatment (including a vaccine) as part of determining whether a person is a ‘public indictment’, or if it relates to the public benefit condition for certain individuals who want to extend their stay or change their status, even if the vaccine is paid for by Medicaid or other federal funds. ‘
One caveat: some clinics only provide vaccines to residents of certain cities or towns, and therefore they will want to verify your home if you go to one of the sites.
Assist light
Massachusetts allows extra shots for those who have not signed up for an appointment to waste doses. Consult your local clinic if you can be added to a support list.
There is also a website, Dr. B, who try to match clinics with extra doses to people who can get it.
Go to New Hampshire
As of April 19, New Hampshire plans to be eligible for vaccine for people not living in New Hampshire. Yes, you read that right. Log in via the state-run vaccination site: vaccines.nh.gov.
Beware of vaccines
Scammer sites appear. Here are some things to note:
- Note the address bar. If you see that the “s” of the web address has dropped https: //www.immunizations.org /, then this is not the right site. Another idea that a website can be a scam is if it is used http: // instead of https: /
- You will not be asked to make a payment or for your social security information during the sign-up process, even if there are demands you have to make early access. (Some sites may ask you for your social security information during the appointment, but the question is optional.)
- Most vaccine sites are not going to call you. Be wary of anyone who offers vaccinations unless the call comes from a reputable source such as your doctor’s office or a community health center.
- If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, contact the Attorney General’s office.
Best wishes! Remember to take care of yourself after you have been given the chance; you may not feel good a day or so after that. And keep wearing your masks!