Town of East Bridgewater Shares Important Information Regarding COVID-19 Vaccinations for Residents 65 and Older

EAST BRIDGEWATER — The East Bridgewater Board of Health would like to provide residents with an update regarding COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone 65 years old and older.

A new page has been launched on the Town’s website for residents 65 and older to be placed on a “waiting list” to receive a vaccine as part of the next step in Phase 2 of the state’s vaccine distribution plan. The page, which can be found here, was announced at the Feb. 8 Board of Selectmen meeting by Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Timothy Harhen.

The page is a proactive step to begin gathering information from residents who are 65 years of age or older and adults with two or more comorbidities who are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Any East Bridgewater resident who falls into one of the Phase 2 categories eligible to receive the vaccine in the future is encouraged to fill out the form to be added to the vaccination appointment registry. Residents 75 and older, who were part of the first step in Phase 2, will be prioritized during the distribution of the vaccine. 

Any resident who cannot fill out the electronic form and would like to be added to the appointment registry can send their name, date of birth, home address, phone number, and email address to covidvaccine@eastbridgewaterma.gov. Residents may also call the Town’s new COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 508-378-1610 and choose option 1, where they will be prompted to leave the same information on the voice mail. 

Once the Town is authorized to resume vaccinating residents as part of Phase 2, health officials will contact those on the registry to schedule an appointment.

Seek Additional Vaccine Sources if Available

The Town also reminds residents to seek alternate sources of the vaccine if they are able to acquire it from a doctor, local pharmacy or mass vaccination site.

“We kindly ask that residents only utilize one form of communication to share their information with the Health Department, as this will help us better serve everyone looking to receive a vaccination,” said Susan Mulloy of the East Bridgewater Board of Health. “Additionally, we ask that residents continue to contact their primary care doctor or pharmacy after they have been placed on the list for additional vaccination opportunities. Seeking alternative sources for the vaccine will ensure that the greatest number of residents receive the vaccination as possible, and will ultimately lead to stopping the spread of the virus more quickly and efficiently.”

Volunteers Needed

The Town of East Bridgewater is also seeking volunteer nurses to help administer vaccines at future clinics. Any nurse who would like to volunteer their services at a vaccination clinic can send their information to smulloy@eastbridgewaterma.gov.

211 Hotline Available To Those 75 and Older

The Baker-Polito Administration has created a 211 hotline for residents 75 years old and older to call for assistance with making vaccination appointments.

Residents 75 years old and older became eligible for the vaccination on Monday, Feb. 1 through the state’s vaccination distribution plan. However, those without internet access and others have struggled to make appointments through the state’s online system.

The new 211 line can be accessed by dialing 2–1–1 and selecting the prompt for “Help Scheduling a Vaccine Appointment.” The hotline is only available for residents 75 years old and older without internet access or who otherwise cannot use the appointment site, and will take calls Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Translators will be available to help through the 211 line. Callers will be able to speak with a live representative who will help them find a nearby vaccination location and make an appointment.

Stay Informed

For additional information, East Bridgewater residents are encouraged to visit mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine. This site will allow residents to check if they are eligible to receive the vaccine at this time and to schedule an appointment at a Massachusetts Mass Vaccination Site.

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