Ipswich – The Town has scheduled a clinic Monday, Feb. 14, from 1-6 p.m. at Our Lady of Hope, lower level, 1 Pine Swamp Road. Town Manager Anthony Marino and Director of Public Health Colleen Fermon encourage the community to attend the COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
About 84 percent of Ipswich residents are fully vaccinated, higher than the state average. About 60 percent of Ipswich children ages 5-11, and 80 percent of children ages 12-15, have received both pediatric doses.
“We urge anyone still seeking a vaccine, either first or second dose or booster, to attend one of the clinics,” Director Fermon said. “Vaccination is proven to be safe and effective, and the single best way to limit the spread of the virus and reduce its severity if you do get sick.”
Clinics will offer the Pfizer vaccine only. Vaccines will be available to anyone ages 5 and older who lives, works, or studies in Massachusetts.
Those 18 and older may receive any vaccine or booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports “mix and match” of primary regimen and booster shots. Town clinics will deliver booster shots to anyone who qualifies, whether the patient received the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna regimen, or the single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
An additional (third) mRNA primary series dose is recommended for ages 5 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, at least 28 days after the completion of the second mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose.
A booster dose for everyone age 12 and older is recommended:
1. At least 5 months after completion of an mRNA vaccine primary series (includes those who received two doses of different mRNA vaccine products, and those immunocompromised persons who received an additional primary series dose)
2. At least 2 months after completion of a Janssen/J&J primary dose
The CDC recommends that individuals stay “up to date” by receiving any additional doses they are eligible for to ensure they have optimal protection against COVID-19.
Those interested in attending the clinic are encouraged to register for an appointment visit https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/capeann. Walk-ins will be accepted while supplies last.
Vaccines are free. Insurance is not required, though insurance providers will help cover administration costs. Identification is not required.
Attendees at all clinics will be required to wear masks and maintain physical distance, in accordance with current Massachusetts guidelines regarding clinics.
The Town of Ipswich also provides information on the following resources:
Vaxfinder: Visit the Vaxfinder tool at https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/ for a full list of hundreds of locations to receive a booster. Residents will be able to narrow results to search for locations that are offering boosters, with some appointments available now for booking. Additional appointments are expected to come online in the coming days. Many locations will be booking appointments out weeks in advance.
COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line: Individuals who are unable to use Vaxfinder or have difficulty accessing the internet may contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line by calling 2-1-1 and following the prompts. The Vaccine Resource Line is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line has representatives available in English and Spanish, with access to translators for more than 100 languages.
In-home vaccinations: If you are unable to get to a vaccine location you can call the In-Home Vaccination Central Intake Line at 833-983-0485. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Representatives are available in English and Spanish, with access to translators for more than 100 languages. You will be able to speak with a representative and you will be registered with the Commonwealth’s in-home vaccine provider, Commonwealth Care Alliance, which will handle the scheduling and administration of in-home vaccinations.
My Vax Records: Residents who received their vaccinations in Massachusetts may access their COVID-19 digital vaccine card and vaccination history through My Vax Records. The site will generate a COVID-19 digital vaccine card, which would contain similar vaccination information to a paper CDC card. The COVID-19 digital vaccine cards produced by the system utilize the SMART Health Card platform and generate a QR code that can be used to verify vaccination. The state is not requiring residents to show proof of vaccination to enter any venue, but this tool will help residents who would like to access and produce a digital copy of their record. Access the new toolby visiting MyVaxRecords.Mass.Gov.
