Frequently Asked Questions

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts begins vaccinating K-12 workers on March 11, but you may receive an appointment before then through CVS.

BPS has also opened priority slots for staff currently eligible under phases 1 and 2 (medical workers, safety officers, over age 65, and individuals with two or more eligible conditions. Sign-ups can be found on the appointments page.

Unfortunately not; while there is some staff who fall under phases 1 and 2, teachers and paras will be eligible to receive the vaccine on March 11.

On March 3, the City of Boston adjusted the leave policy with the following;

EXPANDED LEAVE FOR VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS:

A vital tool for keeping our communities safe and ending the COVID-19 pandemic is the COVID-19 vaccine, along with continued mask-wearing, social distancing, and frequent handwashing. To encourage and assist the City of Boston employees in getting vaccinated, the City is amending its Temporary COVID-19 Paid Leave for Testing Policy to include paid leave time for vaccination. Benefit-eligible City employees will be entitled to use this benefit twice within a forty (40) day period for a two-dose vaccination, at time intervals recommended by the vaccination manufacturer and/or health care provider, and once before expiration of this policy for a one-dose vaccination. This leave is in addition to the one hour for testing every two weeks, meaning an employee may take one hour for testing and one hour for a vaccination appointment in the same week. The revised Temporary COVID-19 Paid Leave for Testing and Vaccination Policy may be found here.

The appointments page displays the times and locations for each site.

Sunday: 10am to 3pm

Monday-Thursday 2pm to 7pm

It is difficult to predict how long it will take for all employees to receive the first dose of the vaccine. The BPS vaccination sites have a combined capacity of 500 appointments a day with additional appointment slots from nearby clinics reserved for BPS staff (the number of slots will vary based on the day). In addition, BPS staff can sign up for an appointment at the statewide clinics, and many staff will have already received the vaccine as part of a previous phase, i.e., nurses, school police, 65 and older, etc.

The sites are operated by clinical partners. You will go through the exact same process on the BPS site as you would on a statewide site. The only difference is that the BPS clinics are only open to BPS staff. You may choose to go to any clinic to receive a vaccination.

There is a waitlist and walk-ins are not accepted.

If you are going to a statewide or private clinic, they will inform you at the time of registration what you need to bring for identification.

If you are going to a BPS location, please bring a photo ID. We will be verifying BPS employment status at the two BPS clinics.

There is no cost to you, the individual getting vaccinated.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts covers the cost of the vaccination. The federal government covers the cost of the vaccine. BPS is covering the cost of the two vaccine clinics.

Once known, we will post the type of vaccine offered under each site. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts determines the kind of vaccine provided. If you have specific questions about which vaccine is right for you, we recommend discussing this with your physician.

No, all registrations must be completed by the individual who is eligible and receiving the vaccine, and for BPS Clinics, only BPS employees are eligible to receive a vaccine.

That depends on which vaccine you receive for your first shot.

• If your first shot is the Moderna vaccine, you should book your second shot to take place 28 days after your first.

• If your first shot is the Pfizer vaccine, you should book your second shot to take place 21 days after the first.

During your first shot at a vaccination site, you will have the opportunity to book the appointment for your second shot while you are in the observation area. We highly recommend booking at that time to ensure you receive the second dose on schedule.

That depends on which vaccine you receive for your first shot.

• If your first shot is the Moderna vaccine, you should book your second shot to take place 28 days after your first.

• If your first shot is the Pfizer vaccine, you should book your second shot to take place 21 days after the first.

During your first shot at a vaccination site, you will have the opportunity to book the appointment for your second shot while you are in the observation area. We highly recommend booking at that time to ensure receiving the second dose on schedule.

According to the CDC, you should get your second shot as close to the recommended 28-day or 21-day interval as possible. For more information, please visit the CDC's FAQ and look for the question, "How many shots of COVID-19 vaccine will be needed?"

NOTE: When you arrive for your second shot appointment, you must present the physical vaccination card you received when you got your first shot – or a picture of it. If you want to show a picture of it, please make sure your name and date of birth are clearly visible and readable.

You will be asked this question as part of the vaccination sign-up process. It is essential that you answer accurately. Such reactions to a vaccine in the past require additional observation time at the site after you get your shot. Vaccination sites have a special observation area for those who have had such reactions to vaccines previously.

Allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine are also possible, so we have emergency medical personnel on-site at all times just in case an individual has a reaction. For more information about possible reactions to the vaccine, please click here.

In total, you should expect to be at the vaccination site for about an hour. All told — from the time you check-in until your post-shot observation period ends. There is a 15-minute variance depending on the duration required for your post-shot observation. We recommend that you arrive a few minutes early to ensure a smooth check-in process.

Generally, only the individual being vaccinated is allowed to enter the site, but there are exceptions. If you need special assistance during your vaccination appointment — such as for mobility issues — you may bring a guest with you. Otherwise, guests are not allowed at the vaccination site. Service animals are allowed for those who require them.

After your shot, you will need to remain in the observation lounge at the vaccination site for 15 to 30 minutes. This is a safety precaution allowing for monitoring in case of an allergic reaction to the vaccine. The duration is based on your individual risk factors.

We highly recommend that, as soon as you are seated in the observation area, you take a picture of the physical vaccination card you just received. That way, you’ll have a digital copy just in case anything happens to the hard copy. You will need to present the hard copy or a photo of it at the appointment for your second shot.

During the observation period after your first shot, you will be encouraged to book an appointment for your second shot. Your second appointment needs to occur 28 days after your first one in the case of the Moderna vaccine; 21 days after in the case of the Pfizer vaccine.

Please note the following before your appointment and plan accordingly:

• Please check-in 5 minutes before your appointment time, no sooner or later.

• Bring a printed copy of your appointment confirmation email or be ready to show it on your smartphone or tablet. (Look for an email from “Vaccination Clinics.”) Bring your smartphone or tablet with you, if you have one. This will make some on-site processes easier, like the health screening/assessment and booking your second shot.

• If you need special assistance during your vaccination appointment — such as for mobility issues — you may bring a guest with you. If you are a parent or guardian and cannot arrange child care during your appointment, your children can accompany you. Otherwise, guests are not allowed at the vaccination site.

• Service animals are allowed for those who require them.

• Hold onto it and keep it somewhere safe! You’ll need it for your second-shot appointment.

• We also highly recommend taking a picture of the physical vaccination card if you haven’t already. That way, you’ll have a digital copy just in case anything happens to the hard copy.

• When you arrive for your second-shot appointment, you must present the hard copy of your physical vaccination card or a picture of it. If you want to present a picture of it, please make sure your name and date of birth are clearly visible and readable.

Yes, but with restrictions.

• You are only allowed to take photos in the designated selfie area. Photos in other areas of the site and of staff or other individuals getting vaccinated are not allowed.

Unfortunately, no. Appointments cannot be given away or exchanged.

• Only you can use the vaccination appointment for which you registered. Even if you get an appointment somewhere else and have a loved one or friend who is eligible and needs to get vaccinated, it isn’t possible to give them your appointment slot. We ask that you cancel the appointment via the “Cancel” link in your confirmation email.

• Yes, and please do cancel your appointment if you can no longer make the appointment time. You cancel the appointment via the “Cancel” link in your confirmation email.

We recommend resources available through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the CDC.

You can visit the Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccines website here. You can also check out these frequently updated web pages of the CDC website:

• Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

• How COVID-19 Vaccines Work

• Myths and Misconceptions about COVID-19 Vaccines

• Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination

• If you did not see your question answered on this page, please send us an email at vaccine@bostonpublicschools.org