For Immediate Release - February 16, 2021
Northampton Vaccine Clinics Are Open
for Eligible Priority Groups
Hampshire County residents are urged to check their eligibility, trust only
Health Department information and help ensure only eligible people
come to the vaccination site.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has established a phased approach to vaccine distribution. Under this system, Massachusetts is currently in Phase Two, Group One.
The Northampton Health Department is supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts through Phase Three. At this time, we have available appointments for:
We continue to vaccinate these groups as guided by the MA Department of Public Health vaccine distribution timeline.
As part of this experience, we have learned there are some challenges in using the state’s registration system. We urge all eligible individuals to take advantage of the registration system and make an appointment. Be aware that by making an appointment with this system, you must attest under the pains and penalties of perjury that you are eligible. If you make an appointment and come to the vaccine clinic and are not actually eligible for the vaccine you will be asked to leave, and we may report attempts to defraud the system to law enforcement.
To register for an appointment online, go to www.northamptonma.gov/vaccineclinics. If you do not have access to the internet or need assistance with registration, call 413-587-1219 and leave a message with your name, phone number and reason for calling and a Health Department representative will get back to you as soon as possible. We understand that everyone is anxious to receive their vaccination. “I want everyone to get a vaccine today, but the City of Northampton must follow state vaccination guidelines,” stated Public Health Director, Merridith O’Leary. “We are respectfully asking that all Hampshire county residents:
please, do not come to the vaccination site unless you have a valid appointment.
please, only come to the clinic for “waitlist” doses if a Northampton Health Department Official has contacted you individually.
please, only believe or share information about the vaccination process that comes directly from the Northampton Health Department.”
Some days, for a variety of reasons, the vaccination process results in additional doses becoming available for people on the official waitlist. When this happens, vaccines are distributed according to those we can reach on waitlists. People contacted from the waitlist must not share with other members of the public that there are vaccines available. They are only for those personally contacted by the Health Department.
Ultimately, in every aspect of distribution, we in the Health Department are guided by our moral and ethical judgement as experts in vaccination distribution to get vaccines into the most eligible and available candidates to prevent any wasted vaccines. The Health Department stands on its record on public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People in the 65+ years old group can sign up for our waitlist. This is the list the Health Department uses when or if there are extra doses of vaccines at the end of the clinic. The Health Department will email the entire waitlist when Massachusetts releases the next grouping and we have availability (65+ and/or 2+ certain medical conditions and/or eligible affordable senior housing).
Residents of Hampshire County can sign up for the waitlist here: https://www.northamptonma.gov/2219/COVID-19-Vaccination-Clinics
Privacy laws dictate that the Northampton Health Department, its director, and its employees must not discuss specific cases of vaccine distribution with the public. No person should share private details or circumstances about their own or other’s health care experiences with people outside their immediate family unless given expressed permission to do so in writing.
