MA Health Connector Open Enrollment Extended Until Friday, July 23
Open Enrollment for Massachusetts Health Connector is extended through Friday, July 23, 2021. Learn more here.
Trust the Facts, Get the Vax Campaign
The new TV advertisements in the Administration’s "Trust the Facts, Get the Vax" public awareness campaign feature voices from across the Commonwealth. Learn more about the campaign here.
Canvassing in Fitchburg for the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative
Fitchburg is one of the Commonwealth’s 20 communities hardest hit by COVID-19, and a city where Vaccine Equity Initiative canvassers are going door-to-door to provide information and help with COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Learn more here. Learn about the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Initiative here.
Pfizer Shares that FDA Will Authorize COVID-19 Vaccine For 12 to 15 Age Group
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week for children 12 to 15 years old. Read more here.
147 Million People Vaccinated in the US
The CDC shared that as of Monday, May 3, more than 147 million individuals in the United States had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those people, more than 105 million are fully vaccinated. Read more here.
Find a Provider to get a COVID-19 Vaccine
The CDC announced that almost everyone in the nation now lives within 5 miles of a COVID-19 vaccination site. They urge individuals to get vaccinated now that it's easier than ever to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Find a provider here.
Reminder: Friday, May 7 Deadline for Small Business Grants
An additional $600,000 in grants for Cambridge small businesses is available through the City’s Mayor’s Disaster Relief Fund and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority. Grant applications will be accepted until this Friday, May 7, 2021. Read more here.
Reminder: National Small Business Week Webinars and Events in Cambridge Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8
This week, from Sunday, May 2, 2021 to Saturday, May 8, 2021 is National Small Business Week. Throughout the week, join the Cambridge Community Development Department for webinars and other events to provide resources to local small businesses and entrepreneurs. Learn more here.
Fuel Assistance Program Accepting Applications Until May 28
Beginning in July 2021, the utility payment moratorium will end. If you need assistance paying your heating bills, the Fuel Assistance Program is accepting applications through Friday, May 28, 2021. Read more here.
COVID-19 Housing Stabilization Program
The COVID-19 Housing Stabilization Program provides short term financial assistance to individuals and families in Cambridge who are experiencing housing instability. New applicants are encouraged to apply. Learn more here.
Council on Aging Homebound Vaccination Program
The homebound vaccination program is for people who would not otherwise be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine unless they receive it in their home. It does not include individuals who are temporarily homebound; and/or able to leave the home with adequate assistance; or those who would prefer to get a vaccine in their home. If you meet the definition for homebound, or know someone who does, please call the Cambridge Council on Aging (CoA) at 617-349-6220. Learn more here.
Translation Resources Available
Multilingual city resources and information on COVID-19 are available on the City's multilingual help page.
MA Vaccination Updates
Reminder: Upcoming Vaccine Clinics in the City of Cambridge
The City of Cambridge's is offering upcoming vaccine clinics using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. These clinics are free and open to all individuals 18 years of age and older who live and work in Cambridge. Appointments aren’t needed and IDs aren’t required. Learn more here. Vaccine clinics locations and hours are as follows:
CambridgeSide Mall: 100 Cambridgeside Place in East Cambridge. Clinic located on the 2nd Floor above the Food Court, next to H&M Men. Parking available in the garage; entrance located on First St.
Wednesday, May 5 from 10 AM to 4 PM
Thursday, May 6 from 10 AM to 4 PM
Reservoir Church: 170 Rindge Avenue in North Cambridge.
On Friday, May 7, 2021, from 9 AM to 2 PM and 4 PM to 8 PM
Vaccine Eligibility Open to All Adults
All Massachusetts residents aged 16 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, people under the age of 18 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine and there are certain steps these individuals should take prior to scheduling their appointment. Learn more here.
Preparing for your Vaccination Appointment
Learn about how you can prepare for your vaccination appointment here
Resources for Booking and Getting to Your Appointment
Online: Preregister for mass vaccination sites at vaccinesignup.mass.gov. All state vaccination sites are online at vaxfinder.mass.gov/, or you can book directly with a pharmacy at cvs.com or walgreens.com. You can also visit macovidvaccines.com, which is not an official site but is more user-friendly than the state site.
Phone: Call 2-1-1 between 8:30 AM-8:00 PM Monday-Thursday or 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Friday-Sunday and select the prompt for “help scheduling a vaccine appointment.” This multilingual service is for residents who don’t have Internet access or have trouble using the Internet.
Need help? For detailed information about how to make an appointment, including updates about specific health care providers, see the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services vaccine resources page. You can also visit macovidvaxhelp.com, which is an unofficial site staffed by volunteers for eligible individuals who are unable to book vaccine appointments on their own.
Need a ride?
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is offering free transportation for local adults aged 60+ to COVID-19 vaccination sites in Cambridge and Somerville as well as Fenway Park and CHA Malden. For more information, click here. To register for a ride, call SCES at 617-628-2601 or email info@eldercare.org.
All MassHealth members or Health Safety Net patients can get free transportation to COVID-19 vaccine appointments. You can request transportation for a scheduled appointment by calling (800) 841-2900. You may find additional information on transportation help here.
The City of Cambridge has published accessibility information for the state’s mass vaccination sites. You can find it here.
Don’t forget to book your second appointment while you’re getting your first dose!
Massachusetts is currently in Phase Three of the vaccine rollout. For more details and updates on vaccination priorities, please visit mass.gov/CovidVaccine.
For more details and updates on vaccination priorities, please visit mass.gov/CovidVaccine.
The state has created an interactive dashboard, including the percentage of COVID-19 positive cases and testing rates by city and town. The dashboard can be viewed here.
For Harvard University COVID-19 information, click here.
If you or a loved one are struggling, please know that you are not alone. Here are some great resources:
Helpline for People Who Abuse
There is a new Helpline for People Who Abuse that launched on April 15, 2021, that came out of CARES ACT funding for COVID-19. The Helpline is open to any resident of the Commonwealth, it is the first in the nation of its kind, and is based out of Western Massachusetts. You can find more information here.
Where to Give
On Fridays, Cambridge CoHousing will be collecting food either in a paper bag or small box for the Chelsea Food Collaborative. Drop off is between 9 AM and 2:30 PM at the entrance to CoHousing at 175 Richdale Ave, Cambridge, MA. If you don't see someone at the moment you arrive, please leave it just inside the gate where we will have boxes marked "For Chelsea."
If you are able to give to others during this time, I encourage you to look to additional places that are working to help those most affected by COVID-19:
