We have partnered with the Boston Public Health Commission to provide COVID-19 testing at our facility located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston. Click here for more information.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for use in the fight against COVID-19.
These vaccines and booster doses are highly effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19.
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Fenway Health is monitoring the latest guidance from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information as it becomes available.
Learn the facts about COVID-19 and help stop the spread of misinformation. Visit CDC’s webpages Share the Facts, Stop the Fear and coronavirus.gov.
We’re ready to help:
- Our phones and emails are staffed by people who know how to start assessing your risk and answering your questions.
- We have specially trained clinical teams who evaluate all people with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure or disease by phone or in person.
- We assess our systems and plans daily to meet changing needs and reports.
If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel if you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.
Updated January 7, 2021
Stay informed! Here are some additional online resources.
- Map of COVID-19 testing locations in the City of Boston
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website on COVID-19
- MA DPH Information on the Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Boston Public Health Commission FAQ about COVID-19
- Suffolk County COVID-19 Resource Guide
- MBTA Preparedness Efforts for COVID-19
- The American Dental Association’s Guidance for COVID-19
- CDC “Share the Facts, Stop the Fear”
- World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Advice for the Public: Mythbusters
- CDC COVID-19 Informational Videos
- WHO Q&A on COVID-19
- Forbes: Panic Not. Lest Emotional Contagion Cause More Harm Than Coronavirus
- The Guardian: If coronavirus scares you, read this to take control over your health anxiety
- United Way’s COVID-19 Family Support Fund
- Safety, Predictability & Control in the Midst of COVID-19
- COVID-19 Resource Guide for Boston’s Immigrants
- A List of Boston and National Resources Compiled by the Asian American Resource Workshop
- City of Boston COVID-19 Dashboard
- A Guide Written by Harvard Physicians for Staying Safe during the Pandemic
- A discussion on COVID-19 and the LGBTQIA+ community with The Fenway Institute’s Sean Cahill and Ken Mayer — 4/3/2020 (discussion begins at 19:00 into the video)
- COVID-19 and Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- WHO: Brote de enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Hoja de Información: Detenga la Propagación de los Microbios
- Vídeo: Detenga la Propagación de los Microbios
- Qué Hacer si Contrae la Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
- Lo que necesita saber sobre la enfermedad del coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
- Síntomas de la Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019
- Hable con sus hijos sobre el COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Un recurso para padres
- Guía de ayuda para padres y cuidadores para ayudar a las familias a enfrentar la enfermedad Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
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Latest Posts on COVID-19
We have made changes at our Fenway Health locations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to better keep everyone safe. The below provides an overview and you can download a more comprehensive FAQ document here.
What will be different when I visit a Fenway Health location?
- Anyone entering one of our buildings will be screened for COVID-19.
- Staff and visitors at all of our clinical locations will wear masks.
- We have rearranged furniture and added signage to encourage social distancing.
- We regularly clean and disinfect all public areas, exam rooms, restrooms, and work spaces.
- We have created clinical and appointment algorithms to help manage on-site volume and flow.
- We have adjusted our workflows to help more efficiently move people through our buildings during their appointments.
- We ask that you try to arrive for your appointment no earlier than ten minutes before it is scheduled. We aim to limit your time spent in waiting areas.
We will continue to offer telehealth appointments and free pharmacy delivery to help minimize your need to travel to access healthcare and services.
Fenway Health conducts COVID-19 testing on both symptomatic and asymptomatic people. Please click here for detailed information.
Although the Quest COVID IgG antibody test is available to Fenway Health, we still don’t know how to best interpret the results. We don’t yet have enough information to know how test results relate to a history of COVID infection, and results may not adequately indicate if you have been infected with COVID, just exposed to COVID, or if you are immune to COVID. Before we give advice on who should be tested, we need to learn more about who it is best for.
As a result, we are not recommending testing for most people. If you have questions, we are happy to schedule a telehealth visit to discuss if this testing is right for you. Please do keep in mind that guidance regarding testing is likely to change in the upcoming weeks and months. Please check our website for updates on testing.
Yes. Fenway Health is open to patients in accordance with state public health guidelines.
We are working to maintain high quality health care while best protecting patients and staff from COVID-19.
Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.
Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.
You can make appointments for telehealth and onsite care:
Medical & Nursing Departments
- 1340 Boylston Street (Ansin Building)
- Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or to follow up regarding an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.927.6000. Whenever possible, please do not walk into the health center to request services. Medical and Behavioral Health telehealth visits may occur outside of these hours.
- 142 Berkeley Street (Fenway: South End)
- Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or for follow up of an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.247.7555. Whenever possible, please do not walk into the health center to request services.
- We have also consolidated clinical staff from the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center to 1340 Boylston and the South End. Borum patients can continue to call 617.457.8140 to make appointments at one of those locations or for telehealth services.
Medical and Behavioral Health telehealth visits may occur outside of these hours.
If you have any questions about how we can best help care for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your medical team or to call our Nursing line at 617.927.6300*.
*after hours, this number is covered by our answering service, which can connect you to Call4Health, a nurse triage service that works directly with our on call physicians to meet your needs.
We continue to work with our partner hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to ensure that our patients who have respiratory symptoms and need an in-person evaluation can access care through BIDMC’s Ambulatory Respiratory / Cohorted Care Unit (ARCCU), urgent care clinics, or Emergency Department (ED).
Our Medical and Nursing Departments continue to offer telehealth care to patients for most issues.
Our Phase 2 expansion allows us to now schedule in-person appointments for all of the following reasons:
- Acute illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: skin infections, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, STI symptoms)
- Chronic illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: diabetes, high blood pressure)
- Adult preventive care that requires an in-person visit (examples: mammograms, pap smears)
- Pediatric preventive care (examples: well child visits, immunizations)
- Reproductive health care that requires an in-person visit (examples: long-acting reversible contraception procedures, inseminations, obstetric visits)
- Procedures aimed at treating progressive conditions that, if deferred, may lead to high risk or significant worsening of a patient’s health (examples: skin biopsies of suspicious lesions, cervical colposcopy, high resolution anoscopy)
- Continued administration of injectable medications (examples: testosterone or estradiol injections)
- Any care for patients who cannot utilize telehealth
Yes. Fenway Health is providing telehealth appointments. If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or for follow up of an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.927.6000 if you are a patient at our 1340 Boylston Street location or 617.247.7555 if you are a Fenway: South End patient.
We will also be expanding operating hours and staffing in our Medical Department Call Center. If you need to speak with a nurse, please do not hesitate to reach the Call Center by calling 617.927.6300*.
What illnesses can be diagnosed in a telehealth visit?
Your physician may be able to diagnose many of the same issues using telehealth that they can during an in-person visit. This may involve the use of live interactive video or diagnostic images that you would forward to your physician, vital signs, and/or patient data for later review. Speak with patient care staff for more information.
Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.
Yes. You can call in your prescription/refill, or request refills online, or through our mobile app.
If you generally use the pharmacy at 1340 Boylston Street, call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge. Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.
If you generally use the pharmacy at our Fenway: South End location, call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.
Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.
Please contact our pharmacy or your prescribing medical provider to inquire about whether or not this option is available for your medication.
1340 Boylston Street (Ansin Building)
- Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.
Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.
142 Berkeley Street (Fenway: South End)
- Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Call 617.927.6163 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.
Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.
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Housing, Legal, Community-Based Case Management, and Sexual Health
The Housing, Legal, Community-Based Case Management, and Sexual Health teams continue their important work remotely. Rental Assistant payments and essential services to people who inject drugs continue. -
Access Drug User Health
Access Drug User Health will maintain a presence at 75 Amory Street where drop-in space is closed but clients can exchange syringe supplies on an individual basis.
Our Green Street location, is piloting an outreach-only model, where Access staff will meet clients in the community instead of on location. Additionally, they will continue to distribute Narcan and supplies via van. Due to COVID-19 precautions, our Green Street location is not offering client services. -
Youth on Fire
Youth on Fire’s drop-in space is temporarily closed.
Boomerangs stores are currently open. Click here for the most up to date information.
Yes. We have recently begun holding public events and have several events scheduled for the the coming months. As a health care organization, we want to remain vigilant in safeguarding the health of our communities. We are continuously monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and are evaluating all public events based on the current situation.
Health insurance carriers are required to provide medically necessary telehealth, testing, counseling, treatment, and vaccination (once it’s developed and available) services related to COVID-19 to all Massachusetts residents without charging copays, coinsurance, or deductibles.
If you currently have health insurance and have specific questions regarding your health insurance, please contact your provider.
We Believe That Everyone Deserves Access To High-Quality, Affordable Health Care
Has your employment situation recently changed? Are you and your family currently uninsured? If you live in Massachusetts, Fenway Health can help you enroll in Commonwealth Care, MassHealth, and other programs. We can also talk to you about our sliding fee schedule for patients and clients Call us at 617.927.6000 and ask for an appointment with our financial assistance counselors. No one is denied care based on ability to pay.
Massachusetts is preparing for the safe, equitable, and effective delivery of an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s planning is based on guidance from the CDC and the MA COVID-19 Advisory Group.
The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with emergency use authorization. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to receive emergency use authorization in the upcoming weeks. Fenway Health will follow the strategic statewide COVID 19 vaccine strategy preped by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).
MDPH will determine which vaccine(s) we receive, when we will receive them, and how much we will be given. We will share more information about this as it becomes available to us. It is important to remember that these are new vaccines that we will learn more about daily. Both vaccines are reported to be 94-95% effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19 after receiving two doses of the same vaccine at the recommended intervals. We currently do not have data to inform us how long this protection may last.
Important things to note:
- The vaccine will not be mandatory in Massachusetts nor at Fenway Health.
- At this time, having a history of COVID infection is not a contraindication to receiving the COVID vaccine.
- It is unknown at this time if the vaccine is safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children below the age of 16.
- Those vaccinated should continue to:
- Wear a face mask
- Practice hand hygiene
- Socially distance through a significant portion of 2021.
- Those vaccinated still have the potential to contract COVID-19
- Despite the vaccine preventing serious illness, there may be a small chance that you can still transmit the virus.
- The vaccines may help us reach our goal of “herd immunity.” This is when a large portion of the community becomes immune to COVID, whether it be via COVID infection or COVID vaccination, making person to person spread unlikely.
Click here to learn about the approach and when you can expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
You should make sure that you and your family’s vaccinations are up to date, including influenza and pneumonia vaccines to help reduce other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Fenway Health provides COVID-19 testing for both symptomatic people and those people with a known COVID-19 contact at our facility located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston. There is no charge to you, but we will collect insurance information for everyone who is insured at the time of registration. Click here for more information.
Currently, testing is available from 8:00 AM to 11:20 AM Monday–Friday, weather permitting. Expect a turnaround time is 3-5 days for results.
We are unable to test asymptomatic patients at this time, including testing prior to travel or for school/employment routine screening.
We are currently only testing Fenway Health patients. If you would like to become a Fenway patient? You can become one by calling 617.927.6000.
To diagnose a potential COVID-19 case, healthcare professionals may run tests to rule out influenza and other common infections. Not all healthcare facilities are able to test for COVID-19 at this time. The test involves swabbing the nose and throat, taking saliva and mucus samples, and possibly drawing blood.
Looking for testing locations in Boston? The City of Boston has recently published a map of COVID-19 testing locations. Testing is free regardless of insurance or immigration status. Additionally, Gov. Baker recently announced an expansion of free testing sites. Click here to read more.
All sites require you to call ahead for pre-screening and to schedule an appointment. Hours vary between sites.
There are also many hospitals, clinics and drive thru sites across the state that are able to complete testing and all positive results are being reported to the Department of Public Health (DPH). You can find regularly updated information about those sites on Mass.gov.
If you develop any of the following symptoms cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fever, chills, body aches, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, stay home and call your healthcare provider. Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. Seek care immediately if you have severe symptoms such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, or bluish lips or face. Your doctor will determine if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and whether you should be tested.
Accurate information about COVID and how to best screen for it is rapidly changing.
Although the Quest COVID IgG antibody test is available to Fenway Health, we still don’t know how to best interpret the results. We don’t yet have enough information to know how test results relate to a history of COVID infection, and results may not adequately indicate if you have been infected with COVID, just exposed to COVID, or if you are immune to COVID. Before we give advice on who should be tested, we need to learn more about who it is best for.
As a result, we are not recommending testing for most people. If you have questions, we are happy to schedule a telehealth visit to discuss if this testing is right for you. Please do keep in mind that guidance regarding testing is likely to change in the upcoming weeks and months. Please check our website for updates on testing.
Testing and Home Care:
If you are being tested for COVID-19 (coronavirus), this information will help you take care of yourself, your family and any close contacts while you are waiting for results. If you’d like a PDF of all of the information below, you can access it here.
Test Results:
Results will be available 2-3 days after you are tested. If you have not been contacted, it is because your result is not yet available. If you are a primary care patient at Fenway you will be able to see your results on the Fenway Portal. Text messages are sent out to patients who have negative test results.
You can also create an account with Quest Diagnostics to see your results by going to https://myquest.questdiagnstics.com/web/home and click on “Create Account”
Taking care of yourself:
There is no specific treatment for coronavirus at this time. As with other illnesses, the best thing you can do is rest and make sure you drink enough fluids. If you have fever or pain, use Tylenol (acetaminophen) first. If Tylenol is not working you can also use NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) as long as your doctor has not told you to avoid NSAIDs. You can also take other prescribed medicines unless you have been told not to. Do not take any medicines unless they are prescribed to you.
If you have symptoms, please stay home until your test result comes back. Until you receive your test results, or until your symptoms are completely gone, please follow the advice below:
- Stay home. Do not leave your house except to get medical care. Do not go to work, school, public places, or stores. Do not use public transportation, like the bus or subway. Do not invite friends or family over unless absolutely needed.
- Seek medical care. Over the next few days, you may feel better, but there may be days you feel worse. If you or a member of your household develops fever, cough, or shortness of breath, they should call their primary care team. If you think you need a visit, please call your primary care team before going to the emergency room. They will be able to give you advice over the phone. In an emergency, always dial 911.
- Stay safe. Stay in one room of the house by yourself. Keep the window open if you can. Use a separate bathroom if you can. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your face, mouth, eyes, and nose. Cough or sneeze into a tissue.
- Keep things clean. Do not share kitchen items (dishes, cups, silverware) or towels/bedding with others. Clean any surfaces you touch like doorknobs, bathroom faucets, toilets, phones, lamps and light switches at least once a day.
Your family and close contacts:
People you live with or work with closely are at risk for Coronavirus if you have it. Your household members should stay home for 14 days from your first day of symptoms. They should not go to work or school. If you were at work or elsewhere while you had symptoms, people you were in close contact with (like sharing an office) should stay home for 14 days too.
Billing Questions:
You should not receive a bill for COVID-19 testing but if you do you can resolve the bill by following these steps:
- STEP 1: Contact your insurance company to find out if there was an issue with how they processed your claim. Explain that you received a bill for COVID 19 testing.
- STEP 2: If you are not able to find a resolution through your insurance company, follow up as below:
- 1. If you received an unexpected bill for your COVID 19 test, please call the Quest Diagnostics lab at 833-209-8311.
- 2. If you received an unexpected bill for your COVID 19 telehealth visit, please call the Fenway Billing department at 617-927-6050.
Additional Questions
- If you have questions regarding your medical care and you receive your primary care at Fenway Health, please call the medical department line at 617-927-6300 and ask to speak to a member of your care team.
- If you have questions regarding your medical care and you do not receive your primary care at Fenway Health, please call your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider and would like to establish care at Fenway Health, please call 617-927-6000 to set up an appointment.
CDC COVID-19 PRINT RESOURCES
These materials have been developed to support COVID-19 recommendations. All materials are free for download. They may be printed on a standard office printer, or you may use a commercial printer.
Beginning on August 1, 2020 Gov. Charlie Baker’s travel order went into effect. The order requires that all visitors and Massachusetts residents returning to MA (including students returning to campuses for the fall semester) must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming from a COVID-19 lower risk state or they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result administered no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts, or they are included in one of the other, limited exemptions. Click here to read more.
We appreciate your help in keeping our staff and your community safe from COVID 19.
What is COVID-19?
A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 (an abbreviation of “coronavirus disease 2019” where “CO” stands for corona, “VI” for virus, and “D” for disease), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.
- The CDC recommends that even those who are not sick or showing COVID-19 symptoms wear a cloth face covering to slow the spread of COVID-19. Click here to read the CDC guidelines..
- Continue excellent, frequent hand-hygiene, washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Practice social distancing and maintain a six-foot distance between yourself and others.
- Get into the practice of not touching your face.
- Make sure you and your family got your flu shots! There’s still time to do this.
- Avoid shaking hands—even in a business setting.
- If you are sick, stay at home. Check out these tips from the CDC on what to do if you are sick.
- If you have to cough or sneeze, cough into your elbow or a tissue/handkerchief.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles, etc. using a disinfecting spray or wipes that are rated to kill viruses as well as bacteria, or a regular household detergent and water. Check out these guidelines from the CDC.
- Encourage anyone who has a cough to use a facemask.
- Get your home prepared for a possible community outbreak.
- Check credible information sources for up-to-date guidance and answers to your questions.
- Check out these tips for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak
- VIDEO: 7 Steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause symptoms ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory illness. Certain coronaviruses can infect animals, which occasionally spread from animals to humans, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Headache
If you are a Fenway patient, please call us if you need help; only call 911 or EMS if you have:
Fevers over 102 degrees that don’t respond to over the counter fever reducers AND one of the following:
- Worsening chest pain despite taking over the counter pain medication OR
- Cough associated with bloody sputum OR
- Worsening shortness of breath
If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel if you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.
Older adults and people who have chronic medical conditions may be higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness and death.
Those potentially at increased risk include:
- Older adults
- People who have medical conditions like:
– Heart disease
– Diabetes
– Lung disease
– Asthma
– Pregnant women
– HIV
People with chronic health conditions, including HIV/AIDS, may be at elevated risk of complications should they develop COVID-19. It is now more than ever critically important that PLWH take their HIV medications every day and take other steps to stay healthy, such as eating well, exercising, and avoiding tobacco and other substances.
Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar and both viruses cause respiratory illness.
Why it might be flu: Flu symptoms usually occur more suddenly. Most people with the flu recover in two weeks or less.
Why it might be COVID-19: You are more likely to have COVID-19 if you have respiratory symptoms (dry cough, shortness of breath) AND one of the following is true:
- You recently traveled to a country (such as China, Iran, Italy, Japan, or South Korea) or an area in the U.S. with community spread of the COVID-19 virus
- You have been in contact (or were coughed on by) someone who may have COVID-19
- COVID-19 is known to be in your community
Many people may have difficulty coping with stress, anxiety, and addiction during times of stress. The outbreak of COVID-19 may be a stressful time for many adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.
The following articles offer some suggestions to help manage COVID-19 associated stress.
- Read the CDC’s tips for coping with stress and anxiety
- Watch WHO’s Q&A on COVID-19 & Mental Health
- Check out these tips from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on dealing with social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak.
- The Guardian: If coronavirus scares you, read this to take control over your health anxiety.
- Harvard Medical School: Recovery of substance users during Coronavirus outbreak
- COVID-19 and Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Many Alcoholics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online AA meetings across the country.
Many Narcotics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online NA meetings from around the world.
Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups where participants help one another resolve problems with addiction to drugs and alcohol, or to activities such as gambling or over-eating. Click here to find a SMART meeting online.
- The American Meditation Institute which offers free Sunday morning meditations classes.
- Sanvello: Clinically validated techniques for reducing stress and treating anxiety and depression (free premium access during COVID-19 pandemic).
- Headspace: Two-week free trial for the general public. (Providers with a National Provider Identifier can sign up for free full access.)
- Calm: Seven-day free trial. A meditation, sleep, and relaxation app that also provides resources specifically for coping with COVID-19 anxiety.
- Stop, Breathe & Think: Always free, and for kids too.
- Mindfulness Coach: Mindfulness Coach 2.0 was developed to help veterans, service members, and others learn how to practice mindfulness. The app provides a gradual, self-guided training program designed to help you understand and adopt a simple mindfulness practice.
- PTSD Coach: Created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and the Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology. This app provides you with education about post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD.
- PTSD Family Coach: In conjunction with PTSD Coach, the PTSD Family Coach app is for family members of those living with PTSD. The app provides extensive information about PTSD, how to take care of yourself, how to take care of your relationship with your loved one or with children, and how to help your loved one get the treatment they deserve.
The program is currently hosting regular Zoom support meetings for those in the trans and gender diverse communities whose gender-affirming surgeries have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. The first meeting of the group will take place virtually on Thursday 4/16 at 6PM. Contact Elly Humphrey at 617-927-6017 for more information.
Children and teens often take their cues from their parents and other adults around them. Parents and caregivers can help reassure and support their children and other young people by dealing with COVID-19 calmly and confidently.
Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:
- Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
- Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)
- Excessive worry or sadness
- Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
- Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens
- Poor school performance or avoiding school
- Difficulty with attention and concentration
- Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
- Unexplained headaches or body pain
- Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
There are many things you can do to support your child:
- Take time to talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.
- Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
- Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
- Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools are closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
- Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.
- Kristin Moffitt, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Boston Children’s Hospital, offers tips for parents about talking with children about COVID-19
- Maia Majumder, PhD, a researcher at the Computational Health Informatics program at Boston Children’s, answers some of the most common questions about how COVID-19 is spread, its potential impact, and how to prepare
- The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions and Dr. Hesham Hamoda offers tips to help overwhelmed parents support their children during the coronavirus outbreak
- VIDEO: How to Talk to Your Children About Coronavirus (COVID-19) from Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital
- Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (En Español—PDF)
- Tips on talking with small children about COVID-19
- Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
- Supporting Kids During the Coronavirus Crisis
- The New York Times Parenting: How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health Preparedness Checklist for your family
- Keeping you and your family safe: Infectious disease expert Dr. Kristen Moffitt answers questions about how the new coronavirus in babies and children, and offers tips on how to talk about the virus with your kids. Click here to watch the video.
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (En Español—PDF)
- CDC Information about preparing your family for COVID-19
- Tips from education experts and homeschoolers on what do with your children if their schools are closed. Click here to read the article
- PBS’ Bring the World to Your Classroom. FREE, videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more to help your children learn at home. Click here to check it out
- The Khan academy—a national nonprofit organization with free online courses for K-12
- Boston Children’s Museum: Play and Learning resources for families and educators to help support that continuous discovery
- Brain building activities from Vroom
- Virtual School Activities: A collection of links to live webcams, virtual tours/trips, and other miscellaneous fun educational sites
- Free Online Mindfulness Classes for Children
- YMCA Videos: Activities for Kids
- YMCA Videos: Youth Sports
- BOKS at Home: A free physical activity program for kids supported by the Reebok Foundation
- Huntington: 316 Huntington Ave, Boston
- Wang: 8 Oak Street West, Boston
- Parkway: 1972-1980 Centre St, West Roxbury
- Roxbury tenants of harvard INFANT, TODDLER, PRESCHOOL (4 WEEKS – 5 YEARS): 82 Fenwood Rd, Boston
- East Boston: 215 Bremen Street, East Boston
- Roxbury: 285 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Roxbury
- Waltham: 725 Lexington St, Waltham
- Dorchester: 776 Washington St, Dorchester
- Mothers and Babies Online Course: This online course teaches skills to manage changes in how you feel. Designed for pregnant women, new mothers, and those who want to support them.
- CDC Information on COVID-19 for Pregnant Women
- Breastfeeding During COVID-19
The same recommendations for people at risk should be adhered to by everyone to help protect those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
If you are a caregiver for someone in a long-term care facility, respect their visitation rules, ask about the health of the other residents, and know the plan if there is a COVID-19 outbreak.
If your loved ones live alone, check on them frequently and find out what services your local Area Agency on Aging offers.