BCAT News

All adults in Massachusetts are now eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine if enough time has passed since their initial dose or doses. 

Gov. Charlie Baker announced on Thursday that every resident over the age of 18 can receive a booster if it has been six months since they received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two months since receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, multiple outlets, including NBC 10, reported. 

“There’s still a process here,” Baker said on Thursday. “From our point of view, having talked to a lot of people and a lot of providers, there’s a lot of confusion about who’s eligible and who’s not.

There are roughly 1,000 locations where residents can receive the booster shots. To find one near you and make an appointment visit the vaxfinder.mass.gov website or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line (Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) by dialing 2-1-1. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it is okay for individuals to choose which vaccine they receive as a booster and are not limited to sticking with the type they originally received. Gov. Baker said anyone with questions about which dose is best for them should consult their health care provider. 

“If people have a concern about getting the booster they should talk to their physician,” Baker said Thursday. “The physicians we’ve talked to in Massachusetts, the vast majority of them say people should get a booster.”

As for the original vaccinations, Burlington is mostly in line with the county and the state in regards to the percentage of individuals who have received at least a first dose. Here are the numbers released this week from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (note they have slightly different age range data available at the municipal level compared to county and state level): 

Burlington

Ages 5-11: 18 percent

Ages 12-15: 78 percent

Ages 16-19: 83 percent

Ages 20-29: 86 percent

Ages 30-49: 87 percent

Ages 50-64: 92 percent

Ages 65-74: 95+ percent

Ages 75+: 95+ percent

Total: 80 percent 

Middlesex County 

Ages 5-11: 27 percent 

Ages 12-15: 87 percent

Ages 16-19: 78 percent 

Ages 20-29: 78 percent

Ages 30-39: 94 percent

Ages 40-49: 92 percent 

Ages 50-59: 93 percent

Ages 60-64: 95+ percent

Ages 65-69: 95+ percent 

Ages 70-74: 95+ percent 

Ages 75+: 95+ percent

Total: 82 percent

Massachusetts 

Ages 5-11: 17 percent

Ages 12-15: 76 percent

Ages 16-19: 74 percent

Ages 20-29: 77 percent 

Ages 30-39: 90 percent

Ages 40-49: 89 percent

Ages 50-59: 93 percent

Ages 60-64: 95+ percent