LYNN — A COVID-19 vaccination site will open at the Lynn Tech Field House on Monday.
Hosted through a partnership between the Lynn Community Health Center (LCHC), Lynn Department of Public Health (DPH), and Nahant Department of Public Health, the site will be open to those who live or work in Lynn and Nahant, or are patients of Lynn Community Health Center, and are eligible to receive the vaccine based on the state’s vaccination plan.
“I urge everyone who is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. After the long year we’ve had, there is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Lynn Public Health Director Michele Desmarais. “This rollout process continues to evolve with many challenges, including vaccination supply constraints, but our partnership’s commitment is to do our part to vaccinate our community to the best of our ability within those constraints.”
Due to high demand and constrained vaccine supply, health officials say COVID-19 vaccination appointments are limited at this time, but more appointments will be added on a rolling basis based on supply from the federal government.
Mayor Thomas M. McGee’s office stated that the city and LCHC are currently working to establish a call-in center where residents can also make appointments by phone for the Lynn Tech site.
“As we move through the stages of the state vaccination plan, the Lynn Department of Public Health and my office will work to do everything we can to make information related to the COVID-19 vaccine as available as possible,” McGee said. “Our team is working to enact a plan that includes a robust public information campaign to notify eligible populations so that they may be vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Regardless of where their vaccine appointment is, individuals are asked to bring the following information:
- A signed copy of the Commonwealth’s “self-attestation” form in a hard copy or electronically to demonstrate that they are included in one of the state-designated eligible groups/phases. Copies will also be available on-site.
- A government-issued identification or license, employer-issued ID card that includes their name and title, or recent pay stub or utility bill to prove residency of Lynn or Nahant.
- Health insurance card.
The lack of a driver’s license, social security number, or insurance is not a barrier to receiving the vaccine.
Appointments at the Lynn Tech Field House site can be scheduled online at https://www.lchcnet.org/covid-19-vaccine-scheduling.
“Providing clear, evidence-based information about the vaccine, and ensuring equitable distribution throughout the community, are of the utmost importance as we move forward,” said Dr. Geoff Pechinsky, chief medical officer at Lynn Community Health Center. “The vaccine sites currently open in the state are hard to reach for many people, and by opening a site in downtown Lynn, we hope to make early vaccine access available to those who may not have had it.”
Because two shots are currently necessary for the COVID-19 vaccine, people must schedule their appointment for the second dose before they leave their appointment for the first dose.
Public health experts advise that people who are vaccinated should still follow COVID-19 prevention protocols such as wearing a mask, washing their hands, and staying six feet away from others.
The City of Lynn COVID-19 Resources Page now includes a vaccine FAQ tab that will be updated as information evolves.
“Vaccine supply is not yet clearly established, so please be patient as we begin,” Pechinsky said. “As a community, with the city and LCHC leading our vaccination efforts, we will get through this together.”
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
