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COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Fenway Health is now vaccinating the general public 18+ years and older at Fenway Health locations at 1340 Boylston Street and Fenway: South End in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) safety guidelines using the Moderna vaccine, which is highly effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19. The Moderna vaccine requires two doses given four (4) weeks apart.

  • Vaccination clinic times are as follows:
    • 1340 Boylston Street either with your appointment if you are a patient or on a walk-in basis. Walk-ins available: Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. in our 5th floor COVID-19 Walk-In clinic.
    • Fenway: South End either with your appointment if you are a patient or on a walk-in basis. Walk-ins available: Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. in our 2nd floor COVID-19 clinic.
  • Schedule your Fenway COVID-19 vaccination appointment (first dose only) online by clicking here. View state guidance around who is eligible here.
  • If you have questions about potential symptoms associated with COVID-19 vaccination, please call CDCINFO at 1.800.CDC.INFO (1.800.232.4636) | TTY: 1.888.232.6348 | or visit cdc.gov/info.
  • Continue checking this page, our Facebook page and other social media (@fenwayhealth), and check for phone calls, text messages, and emails from us as more patients become eligible for vaccination.
  • We are following MDPH guidelines as we expand our vaccination efforts to other patient populations.
  • The Moderna and Pfizer 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.

The state website has more information on who is eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccination in Massachusetts. 

Check Your Vaccine Eligibility Here

We understand that patients may be eager to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Due to limited appointment and vaccine availability at Fenway Health (we currently receive anywhere from zero to several hundred vaccine doses from MDPH each week, but we have over 4,000 patients and clients who are currently eligible for vaccination), many of our patients may receive their vaccination elsewhere. The state has created two new options to help people receive their vaccination:

Our hospital partner, Beth Israel Lahey Health, once again has first COVID-19 vaccine doses and is currently doing outreach to their patients, including Fenway Health patients. If you receive a call from Beth Israel, we encourage you to sign up to be vaccinated by them if it is convenient for you.

  1. Please complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Screening Questionnaire prior to your appointment and bring it with you to your vaccination appointment.
  2. Please wear a t-shirt underneath, so that vaccination staff can easily reach the vaccination site on your arm.
  3. Please bring your insurance card just in case your demographics and insurance information need to be updated; please note that lack of insurance will not keep you from getting vaccinated, and vaccination will always be performed at no cost to patients/clients. You should never be asked to pay for your vaccination appointment or your vaccine. You should never be asked for other personal details like a credit card number or your social security number.
  4. If you do not normally take drugs like ibuprofen/naproxen/acetaminophen, please do not start taking it before your vaccination appointment. If these drugs are part of your daily regimen, please do not stop taking them just because of the vaccine.
  5. Please wear a mask to your appointment.

Flu Vaccinations
We are currently in the height of flu season in Massachusetts. As our state is experiencing a second wave of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to stay up to date on vaccinations. Getting your flu shot will not only help keep you healthy but your family and community as well! Click here to earn more about flu vaccinations at Fenway Health.

If you have questions that are not answered on this page, please call 617.927.6000 if you are a patient at our 1340 Boylson Street office or 617.247.7555 if you are a Fenway: South End patient.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccines

Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approx. 94–95% effective within 7–14 days after the second dose.
  • Both vaccines require two doses: Pfizer’s at 21 days and Moderna’s within 28 days.
  • Both vaccines are mRNA vaccines and do not contain live virus. mRNA vaccines have been used extensively in cancer treatment and are considered very safe
General Information
  • The vaccines are designed to prevent serious illness from COVID 19 if you are exposed.
  • Despite the vaccine preventing serious illness, there may be a small chance that you can still transmit the virus.
  • We do not know how long protection against COVID-19 may last following immunization.
  • You cannot get COVID-19 or a cold from any of the authorized vaccines, because they do not contain live virus.
  • Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are classified as “messenger RNA vaccines” (mRNA).
  • mRNA technology has been used extensively in cancer treatment and is considered very safe.
  • mRNA vaccines do not contain live virus and do not carry a risk of causing disease in the vaccinated person.
  • mRNA does not affect/interact with the person’s DNA.
  • We believe that most of our patients would benefit from this vaccine.
  • No serious safety concerns have been identified with either vaccine to date.
  • 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. Check with your primary care physician before getting vaccinated.
  • The vaccine will not be mandatory at Fenway Health or in Massachusetts.
  • 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-19 vaccination, making person to person spread unlikely.
  • Side effects may occur after receiving COVID-19 vaccines, especially after the second dose.
  • Reported side effects for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine include:
    • Injection site reactions: pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, swelling (hardness), and redness
    • General side effects: fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, nausea and vomiting, and fever
    • Severe Allergic Reactions: There is a remote chance that the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to one hour after receiving the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include:
      • Difficulty breathing
      • Swelling of your face and throat
      • A fast heartbeat
      • A bad rash all over your body
      • Dizziness and weakness
  • Can I Take Pain Relievers? If you regularly take aspirin, acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Motrin, Advil) for other medical conditions, continue to do so as directed by your physician or as needed. Otherwise, do not take them before vaccination. Taking these over-the-counter pain relievers before receiving a vaccine may reduce its ability to work and slow your immune system’s response to it. If you have pain or discomfort after receiving the vaccine, it’s ok to take pain relievers. Remember, side effects after the COVID-19 vaccine can be a good sign that your body is building protection, and they should go away in a few days. If you have concerns about taking medications, check with your doctor.
  • Is there a risk of developing Bell’s Palsey? During Moderna’s clinical trials and follow-up period, there were three reports of Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis) in the test group. All three patients were noted as having preexisting conditions that may have played a role in the development of facial paralysis. There is not sufficient information to determine a causal relationship with the vaccine. The FDA recommends monitoring for cases of Bell’s palsy.
  • After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, will I test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test? No. Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States can cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection.​If your body develops an immune response—the goal of vaccination—there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate you had a previous infection and that you may have some level of protection against the virus. Experts are currently looking at how COVID-19 vaccination may affect antibody testing results.
  • The vaccine is still being studied and other serious and unexpected side effects may occur.
  • People with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine should NOT receive the vaccine.
  • People with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to any vaccine or injectable (intramuscular or intravenous) medication should consult with their health provider to assess risk prior to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Everyone else with severe allergic reactions to foods, oral medications, latex, pets, insects, and environmental triggers may get vaccinated.
  • People with severe allergies require a 30-minute observation period after vaccination, while all others must be observed for 15 minutes. Our vaccine clinics have safety protocols in place to respond to any adverse reactions.
Some underlying conditions that put people at increased risk of severe COVID infection include:
  • Cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Down Syndrome
  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
  • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
  • Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
  • Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
  • Pregnancy
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Smoking
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Those vaccinated should continue to:
  • Yes. Everyone, including persons who have received both doses of vaccine, should continue to follow CDC’s recommendations on wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing for the foreseeable future.
  • It may take time for everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination to get one. A vaccine that is 95% effective means that about 1 out of 20 people who get it may not have protection from getting the illness.

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Fact Sheet and EUA (in English, Español, Chinese, and Arabic)

General COVID-19 Info

COVID-19 Vaccine Common Questions and Concerns (PDF)

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Vacuna COVID-19 Preguntas e Inquietudes Frecuentes (PDF)

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This Page in Other Languages (PDF)

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Fenway Health is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b, and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).

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