For Immediate Release: January 13, 2021

PRESS RELEASE, please click HERE.

Today, January 13, 2021, the Baker-Polito Administration outlined plans to start vaccines for congregate care settings, the next priority group within Phase One of the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.

The Command Center also made updates to the first priority group in Phase Two of the distribution plan to include residents and staff of low income and affordable senior housing.

Additional Information from the MA Department of Public Health (MDPH)

COVID-19 Vaccinations
for Senior Housing Settings

Residents and staff of public and private low income and affordable senior housing are included in the first tier of Phase Two of vaccine deployment in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which we anticipate to begin in February. 

Public and private low income and affordable senior housing is defined as any residential premises available for lease by older or disabled individuals which is financed or subsidized in whole or in part by state or federal housing programs established primarily to furnish housing rather than housing and personal services. Specifically, this includes the following types of housing properties:

• Public housing properties designated primarily for older adults that are owned/operated by Local Housing Authorities. This includes those public housing properties owned by a Housing Authority but managed by a private company. 
• Privately owned properties designated for older adults that are financed in whole or part through resources made available from DHCD, MassHousing, or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and in which the majority of units are restricted to residents earning less than 80% of Area Median Income.

“Residents” include those household members currently on the lease for a rental unit in public and private independent affordable senior housing.

“Staff” includes all persons, paid or unpaid, working or volunteering at each of the qualified housing locations, who have the potential for exposure to residents or to infectious materials, contaminated environmental surfaces, or contaminated air. 

Additional information can be found in COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Guidance for Public and Private Low Income and Affordable Senior Housing.

There are three vaccination options for staff and residents of properties that not included in the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program with CVS and Walgreens. These options include:

1. Organizations may leverage existing pharmacy partnerships or an existing relationship with a medical or community health provider to offer an on-site clinic; or
2. Organizations may contact their Local Board of Health (LBOH), if the Board is running clinics, to discuss capacity to provide an on-site clinic; or
3. Residents and staff may schedule an appointment at a provider location, pharmacy, or a Mass Vaccination Site. Additional pharmacy, provider and mass vaccination sites will come on line in the coming weeks. 

To learn more about the currently available COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC websites on the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Both vaccines require two doses for an individual to be fully vaccinated. It is critical that the second dose be the same as the first dose. Individuals must receive their second dose within a specified time frame and from the same location that they received their first dose.

Updated Three Phased Approach: January 13, 2021

For questions regarding this guidance document or the implementation of the vaccine deployment options,

please contact: SeniorHousingVaccine@mass.gov.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccinations-for-senior-housing-settings

OTHER RESOURCES:

WHEN CAN I GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE? PLEASE CLICK HERE.

COVID-19 VACCINE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

LATEST COVID-19 VACCINE UPDATES IN MASSACHUSETTS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

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