Town Of Northborough Publishes Coronavirus Weekly Update For April 23

Press release from the Town of Northborough:

April 17, 2021

Weekly Covid Update - April 23rd

The Town of Northborough's COVID-19 Community Risk level is Moderate (Yellow). According to the State's Weekly Public Health Report released on 4/23, there were 43 new cases over the last two-week period (4/04/2021-4/17/2021), bringing the total case count in town since the pandemic began to 1207 as of 4/17/2021 at 11:59pm. All residents are reminded to remain vigilant and abide by state guidelines.

New Regional Vaccination Site in Westborough

Beginning April 14th, the Town of Northborough will be participating in a multi-town regional vaccination site in Westborough. As with all vaccination sites, appointments are required.

Register for your Vaccination Appointment

All residents, regardless of age or current eligibility status, should preregister on the state's website AND register for Town of Northborough vaccine notifications. In doing so, you will increase your chances of obtaining an appointment.

• Preregister on the state's website
• Register for Northborough notifications

Standby Call List for COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments at the MetroWest-Westborough Regional Clinic

The Northborough Health Department is creating a standby list for last minute appointments at our new regional Vaccination Clinic at the DoubleTree Hotel (5400 Computer Dr., Westborough, MA). You must be able to answer your phone. We will not leave a message. Calls will be made between 9am and 2:30pm if we have available appointments. We cannot leave a message as we need to know right away. You must be able to get here by no later than 2pm or 3pm depending on the clinic end time. Patients must be checked-in, vaccinated and completed their 15-30 minute wait by then.

This is a not a guarantee of availability and we encourage everyone to continue to monitor the state's website for openings and pre-register with the state at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/preregister-for-a-covid-19-vaccine-appointment. 75% of the clinics doses will be pre-filled with the states preregistration system. You can also signup for notifications when new appointments will be released at www.tinyurl.com/NBvaccine.

Vaccination Information

On Wednesday, March 17th the State released the schedule for all remaining groups in MA’s vaccine plan. Every resident will know when they are eligible for a vaccine.

How to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online at other sites

• Set up alerts and monitor these sites. According to a Boston Magazine article, volunteers have set up a text alert system for CVS and Walgreens appointments, and a Twitter bot programmed to tweet whenever new appointments open up. This resource page also includes some helpful links to other tools, including more sophisticated web monitoring tools, and plug-in that will hit refresh for you. A community of web-savvy Massachusetts residents have begun creating websites aimed at getting the word out. Volunteer-driven websites include MACovidVaccines and VaccinateMA.
• Ask others for help. Your family or friends can help you register. Don't be afraid to ask for help, especially from others who were successful in scheduling appointments or may be more computer savvy. Only share your personal information with trusted friends and remember that insurance is not required so friends and family can just enter no insurance when they get to that part of the registration. Your insurance can be added later when you go to the appointment. A separate initiative called Massachusetts COVID Vaccination Help—which is not an official state program and is run by volunteers - links people looking for a vaccine with people who can help them navigate the system.
• Refresh often. Once you get to the appointment availability webpage on sites like VaxFinder, CVS and Walgreens, keep your browser window open and keep hitting refresh. A place and date may eventually pop up if you have fast fingers. Keep the available appointment screen open and refresh often as appointments may appear if you are persistent.

Do you need help making a COVID-19 vaccine appointment?

For those who struggle with the online registration process, family and friends may complete the registration for you. Make sure you have your health insurance card available when registering. Individuals without access to the internet or who are unable to schedule their appointment online can call toll free 2-1-1 or (877) 211-6277 for assistance. The COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line is a dedicated telephone line available for Massachusetts residents. Call center workers will have the same access to appointments that users will see on the public website. Dial 211 and select the prompt for “Help Scheduling a Vaccine Appointment.” The call center is staffed:

• Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Also, staff at the Senior Center (508-393-5035) and Health Department (508-393-5009) are available to assist residents if technology is an issue.

Do you need Transportation or are you Housebound?

Please contact the Senior Center 508-393-5035 to arrange for transportation on the senior center bus to the Northborough clinic, or for any vaccination appointment in Marlborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Boylston, or Southborough. If you are housebound and wish to receive the vaccine, contact the Senior Center for assistance.

Vaccine SafetyThe COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and free. Massachusetts launched a new website with information on vaccine safety. Visit "COVID-19 VACCINE SAFETY: TRUST THE FACTS".

For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccine visit www.mass.gov/vaccine

Travel and Gathering Limits Update

Effective Monday, March 22, the Massachusetts Travel Order will be replaced with a Travel Advisory and Gathering Limits will increase. To read the entire press release, click here

• As of Monday, March 22, all visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival.
• Travelers are exempt from this advisory if they have a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts. If not obtained before entry to Massachusetts, a test may be obtained after arrival, as long as travelers quarantine until a negative test result has been received.
• Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after an absence of fewer than 24 hours is exempt from this advisory.
• Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) are exempt from this advisory while they are commuting to or from or while at work.
• Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms are exempt from this advisory.
• Travelers are encouraged to consult and follow the CDC’s guidelines and requirements for travel: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

This press release was produced by the Town of Northborough. The views expressed here are the author’s own.