Swansea, MA COVID-19 Resources and Info

Official Town Website

State Announces Two Mass Vaccination Sites, New Appointments & Authorization for Caregiver to Get Vaccinated with 75+ Resident at Mass Vax Sites

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Note: The following is a press release from Gov. Baker’s office.

Natick & Dartmouth mass vaccination sites to open in late February

BOSTON– Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced two new mass vaccination sites will open in Natick and Dartmouth. On Thursday, 74,000 appointments will be posted online for mass vaccination sites and pharmacies at locations statewide. Approximately 30,000 additional appointments will be posted over the course of the week at pharmacies—totaling over 100,000 new appointments this week for mass vaccination sites and pharmacies.

The administration also announced that individuals who accompany someone age 75 or older to get a vaccine at a mass vaccination site may also schedule and receive their own vaccination on the same day.

Natick Mass Vaccination Site:

An additional mass vaccination site is scheduled to open on Monday, February 22, at the Natick Mall with LabCorp as the provider.

This site will begin administering 500 doses per day, then increasing over the course of several weeks to administering 3,000 doses daily. All eligible residents will be able to use this site.

Eligible residents can begin booking appointments for the Natick site on February 18th. For appointment booking, visit mass.gov/covidvaccine.

Dartmouth Mass Vaccination Site:

An additional mass vaccination site is scheduled to open on Wednesday, February 24, at Circuit City with Curative as the provider.

This site will begin administering 500 doses per day, then increasing over the course of several weeks to administering over 2,000 doses daily. All eligible residents will be able to use this site.

Eligible residents can begin booking appointments for the Dartmouth site on February 18th. For appointment booking, visit mass.gov/covidvaccine.

New Appointments At Mass Vaccination Sites & Pharmacies:

The Administration continues to build the Commonwealth’s vaccination infrastructure, and will add 30 new retail pharmacy sites and 2 additional mass vaccination sites. There are currently more than 130 vaccination sites in Massachusetts.

Tomorrow morning (Thursday, Feb. 11), more than 53,000 appointments will be posted online for mass vaccination sites for Springfield, Danvers, Foxborough (Gillette Stadium) and Boston (Fenway Park). Eligible individuals should visit mass.gov/covidvaccine for details on how to book.

Over 50,000 pharmacy appointments will be posted online by the end of this week. 21,000 of these appointments are at new stores and will be live tomorrow. The 50,000 includes:

  • CVS Health: 8,064 appointments were posted this week, with an additional 21,000 appointments going live tomorrow, and another 3,000 appointments being posted daily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
  • Walgreens: 7,620 appointments this week (over 1,000 released each day)
  • Topco (Wegmans, Big Y, Price Chopper): 3,100 appointments this week
  • Retail Business Services (Stop and Shop, Hannaford): 2,000 appointments this week

Caregiver Attestation for Mass Vaccination Sites:

Effective Thursday, February 11th, at mass vaccination sites, an individual who is accompanying a person age 75 or older to get the vaccine may schedule their own appointment to be vaccinated on the same day.

A caregiver must schedule their own appointment online for the same day and location as the 75 or older resident. Only one caregiver may accompany a 75 or older resident.

Mass vaccination locations will make every effort to take both individuals together to minimize wait time, even if the appointment times are not identical.

Directions to Schedule Two Appointments (for a 75+ resident & a caregiver):

Individuals can go to mass.gov/covidvaccine and schedule two separate appointments at either the same time or adjacent.

For the companion appointment, select the option ‘I am accompanying someone who is age 75+ to their vaccination appointment and my appointment is the same day.’

If individuals are unable to use or have difficultly accessing the internet, they may call 2-1-1 for assistance booking both appointments.

Only one caregiver is permitted to schedule an appointment with the 75+ resident. A caregiver may receive their first dose of the vaccine if the 75+ resident is receiving their second dose.

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Baker-Polito Administration Awards Nearly $174 Million in Grants to 4,043 Additional Small Businesses for COVID Relief, Increases Capacity Limits for Businesses and Other Activities

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Note: The following is a press release from Gov. Baker’s office.

Over $450 million in direct financial support has been awarded to 9,900 small businesses; Capacity limits for most sectors increased to 40%

BOSTON — Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced approximately $173.9 million in awards to 4,043 additional small businesses in the sixth round of COVID relief grants administered by the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC). This program is focused on serving businesses that have been most impacted by the pandemic, including restaurants, bars, caterers, personal services and independent retailers.

The Administration also announced that effective Monday, February 8th at 5:00 AM, businesses can operate at 40% capacity. This is an increase from an existing order limiting capacity to 25% for many businesses that expires Monday.

Beginning when the order expires, restaurants and close contact personal services will also be allowed to operate at a 40% capacity limit.

Additionally, the Administration announced that current restrictions limiting gathering sizes to 10 persons indoors and 25 persons outdoors would remain in place for the present time.

All other orders and safety guidance remain in place throughout the Commonwealth as the state continues to fight COVID-19 and vaccination ramps up in all regions.

COVID-19 SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAMS

To date, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded more than $450 million in direct financial support to 9,900 small businesses. This funding has been made available through a $668 million business relief fund set up in December, as well as a $50.8 million fund for small and diverse businesses included in the economic recovery package announced in October.

In parallel with the awards announced today, MGCC is engaging with applicants to the Small Business and Sector-Specific Grant Programs that meet sector and demographic priorities but are missing certain documents that are necessary to be considered for an award. Those applicants will be contacted beginning today, February 4th, and MGCC will work with those businesses over the coming weeks to finalize their applications.

SECTOR-SPECIFIC CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS

Effective Monday, February 8 at 5:00 AM, those businesses and other sectors in Massachusetts currently limited to 25% capacity following an across the board capacity reduction on December 26, 2020 will be permitted to increase to a 40% capacity limit. Businesses and activities affected by the adjustment include:

  • Arcades and Recreational Businesses
  • Driving and Flight Schools
  • Gyms/Health Clubs
  • Libraries
  • Museums
  • Retail
  • Offices
  • Places of Worship
  • Lodging (common areas)
  • Golf (indoor areas)
  • Movie Theaters (no more than 50 people per theater)

In addition, restaurants and close contact personal services will now be allowed to operate at a 40% capacity limit, which reflects an increase from the 25% limit imposed in December. As under the current 25% limit, workers and staff will not count towards the occupancy count for restaurants and close contact personal services.

The Commonwealth remains in Phase 3, Step 1 of the Baker-Polito Administration’s reopening plan.

Phase 3, Step 2 businesses, including indoor performance venues and indoor recreation businesses like roller rinks and trampoline parks, remain closed.

GATHERING LIMITS

The current gathering limits, in place since December 26, are being extended. Indoor gatherings and events will remain limited to 10 people. Outdoor gatherings and events will remain limited to 25 people. The gathering limits apply equally to private homes, event venues, and other public spaces.

Click here to read the read the updated gatherings order.

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Towns of Somerset and Swansea to Co-Host COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for Eligible Groups This Weekend

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Swansea Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein, Somerset Town Administrator Richard Brown and Public Health Nurse for the Towns of Swansea and Somerset Emily Lachance are pleased to announce that the Towns of Somerset and Swansea will co-host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for anyone currently eligible to receive the vaccine this weekend.

The Towns of Somerset and Swansea have a limited quantity of COVID-19 doses available to distribute to those eligible as part of Phase One or seniors age 75 and older, who became eligible to receive the vaccination as part of Phase Two on Monday.

The Towns of Somerset and Swansea will host their first clinic for Somerset and Swansea residents eligible as part of Phase One or seniors age 75 and older on Saturday, Feb. 6 at Somerset-Berkley Regional High School.

Residents should note that if they are interested in signing up for any remaining slots for Saturday’s clinic, they should do so online only. All town phone lines are currently overwhelmed with calls, so anyone who calls regarding appointments may not get through. Residents may leave messages, but they may not receive a response on the same day.

The Towns of Somerset and Swansea are seeking additional vaccination allotments and will notify community members promptly if more vaccines are provided by the state for future clinics.

As more doses of the vaccine are allotted to the Towns of Somerset and Swansea, the towns will schedule additional clinic dates. All clinics are set to be held either at Somerset-Berkley Regional High School, 625 County St., Somerset, or at the Somerset Fire Department, 475 County St., Somerset. Clinic locations will be dependent on weather as clinics at the fire department will be held in a drive-thru manner while the high school clinics will be held indoors. At all clinics residents will be required to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

A second appointment for residents to receive the second dose of the vaccine will be made at their first appointments.

Residents eligible through phase one and those who became eligible for the vaccination on Monday through the state’s distribution plan may click here to view a map of vaccination clinics. All sites require an appointment.

To make an appointment at a vaccination site:

Residents who need further assistance making an appointment are asked to reach out to a family member or their town’s respective Council on Aging. Residents can contact the Town of Somerset Council on Aging at 508-646-2833 and the Town of Swansea Council on Aging at 508-676-1831.

When registering for an appointment, residents will be asked a number of pre-screening questions which will be asked again upon the time of their inoculations.

Residents should note that they will not be able to receive the vaccine if they are sick, in isolation with an active COVID-19 infection, or have been exposed to a known COVID-19 positive patient in the last 14 days as of the day of their appointment. Residents will also be ineligible to receive the vaccine if they have received any other vaccine within the past 14 days.

Residents are encouraged to check appointment sites throughout the day for open appointments. Following their registration, residents should also periodically check their email for any appointment updates.

Residents should note that while the state is creating more mass vaccination sites and though they may become eligible to receive the vaccination in the coming weeks, vaccination distribution is contingent on the number of physical vaccinations available. The Commonwealth, at this time, is prepared to distribute more vaccinations than it has.

The state has not yet announced when individuals 65-years-old and older and those with two or more comorbidities will be able to receive the vaccine. This will be announced when more information is available about additional doses of the vaccine to be provided to the state by the federal government.

The general public will not be eligible to receive the vaccine until April at the earliest. To review the full vaccination distribution timeline, click here.

For those with additional questions, please contact Public Health Nurse Lachance at elachance@town.swansea.ma.us.

 

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Town of Swansea Provides Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Plans

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 Seniors 75 and Older Eligible As Of Feb. 1

Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and Public Health Nurse Emily Lachance would like to share with the community information regarding the beginning of Phase Two COVID-19 vaccinations.

On Monday, Jan. 25, Gov. Charlie Baker announced updates to Phase Two of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. Individuals age 75 and older are now the first priority group in Phase Two. For additional information and to see the full priority list of Phase Two-eligible groups, click here.

Vaccinations for individuals age 75 and older began on Monday, Feb. 1 statewide.

Seniors with any COVID-19 vaccine inquiries or who would like to receive up-to-date  information regarding COVID-19 can contact the Swansea Council on Aging at 508-676-1831 or by emailing lpimentel@town.swansea.ma.us to be added to a COVID-19 vaccine group. Those who wish to be added to the group will be required to provide their name and contact information. When vaccination information is available, it will be communicated to seniors in a streamlined manner via this group.

Residents should note that signing up to be part of the COVID-19 vaccine inquiry group does not sign them up or register them for a vaccine clinic. Residents will still need to register for a vaccination appointment on the state website. Individuals must present proof of their eligibility to receive the vaccine.

Additionally, senior residents who are unable to register online for a vaccine clinic on their own can fill out a pre-registration form and checklist that the COA will use to register for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on their behalf. Additional information regarding this process can be found online here.

“We encourage all members of our 75 and older population to register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at their earliest convenience,” Public Health Nurse Lachance said. “We will continue to share updates regarding vaccine availability and dates of additional clinics as that information becomes available to the town.”

The Swansea Board of Health will be participating in COVID-19 vaccination clinics depending upon the availability of vaccines. The exact dates and appointment availability will depend on the weekly vaccine allocations and site availability. Details on clinic operations in Swansea will be shared at a later date.

Residents can receive periodic updates regarding which phases the Town of Swansea is in and who is eligible to be vaccinated here. For those with additional questions, please contact Public Health Nurse Lachance at elachance@town.swansea.ma.us.

Stay Informed about the Status of COVID-19 in Town 

According to public health data released on Thursday, Jan. 28, the Town of Swansea’s designation remains at “Red,” indicating a “high risk” of spread in the community. The average daily incidence rate for the Town of Swansea is 86.0 per 100,000 residents, down from 104.3 the previous week.

Swansea officials report that there are currently 192 active cases of COVID-19 in the community. There have been a total of 1361 cases in Swansea since the start of the pandemic.

Additional information regarding the Town of Swansea’s response to COVID-19 can be found on the Town’s website, www.town.swansea.ma.us and on the Town’s official COVID-19 blog, swanseacovid19.com. Residents are also encouraged to follow the Town of Swansea’s Facebook page for the latest town updates.

 

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