COVID-19 Information

CHC is monitoring the plan around boosters shots being reviewed by the FDA and CDC. We will continue to follow guidance as these organizations review and release recommendations.

1. You can send a message to your care team through MyChart, CHC's patient portal, to request an appointment for a vaccine.
2. You can call CHC at 978-878-8100 to request an appointment for a vaccine.

Please do not schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment if you had any other vaccinations within the past two weeks (14 days).

CHC CAN ALSO COORDINATE VACCINE CLINICS WHERE YOU WORK, PLAY, OR PRAY. To learn more about this service and/or to set up a vaccine clinic for your community, contact us at covidclinic@chcfhc.org . Our dedicated Community Vaccination Team will be happy to help you! 

mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to build protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies to fight an illness. While they are a new type of vaccine for most of us, mRNA vaccines been well researched, tested, and studied by scientific institutions for years. Here is an article from the CDC to learn more.

The CDC has developed an app called V-safe. This is a new smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines. Using V-safe is voluntary and strongly encouraged.

V-safe will use text messaging and web surveys from the CDC to check in with vaccine recipients for health problems following their COVID-19 vaccination. The system also will provide telephone follow up to anyone who reports medically significant and adverse side effects.

If you do have severe side effects, you can also reach out to your medical provider. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to your local hospital.

For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and Vaccination Distribution Plans, please visit Mass.gov and the CDC website.

CHC patients will still have access to COVID-19 testing as needed.

As provided on Mass.gov: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new respiratory disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Symptoms of this infection may appear 2-14 days after exposure and include:

• Fever, chills or shaking chills
• Signs of lower respiratory illness (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, lowered oxygen saturation)
• Fatigue, sore throat, headache, body aches/myalgia, or new loss of sense of taste or smell
• Other less common symptoms can include gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), rash, and inflammatory conditions such as “COVID toes”.
• In elderly, chronically ill, or debilitated individuals such as residents of a long-term care facility, symptoms of COVID-19 may be subtle – such as alterations in mental status of blood glucose control

However, it’s possible for people with COVID-19 to spread the virus to others up to 48 hours before they have symptoms. Visit the CDC’s resource on symptoms for more information.

If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild, please contact your healthcare provider and a test site near you to schedule a test. You can also check your symptoms online.

You can call 2-1-1 to learn more about:

• COVID-19 prevention, symptoms, and treatment
• Information about testing
• Guidance for people planning or returning from travel

If you are traveling please follow the CDC’s guidance. 

As provided on the CDC website: The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. You can take steps to slow the spread: 

• Stay at least 6 feet away from others, whenever possible. This is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19. 
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others. This helps reduce the risk of spread both by close contact and by airborne transmission. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 
• Avoid crowded indoor spaces and ensure indoor spaces are properly ventilated by bringing in outdoor air as much as possible. In general, being outdoors and in spaces with good ventilation reduces the risk of exposure to infectious respiratory droplets. 
• Stay home and isolate from others while you are sick. 
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and take other steps to stop the spread at home. 

Pandemics can be stressful, especially when you are staying away from others. During this time, it’s important to maintain social connections and care for your mental health time. 

Learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and others.