Bivalent Covid Vaccines Available At The Health Department, Thursdays 12-2 p.m.

The Health Department has resumed its vaccine clinics at the Bangs Center, from 12-2 p.m. on Thursdays. All residents, ages 12 and up who have not had a vaccine or booster in the past two months are eligible for and urged to get the new bivalent vaccines, which offer protection against the omicron variant of Covid-19. Registration for appointments is at https://www.amherstcovid19.org/vaccine . Walk-ins are also welcome.

UMass is offering bivalent Covid vaccines for ages 12 and older in Room 101 at the Campus Center on Thursdays from 12-4 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and for those 12 and younger on Thursdays from 4-5:30 p.m. Appointments https://umass.my.site.com/covidtesting/s/vaccination  are recommended but not essential. To find other sites offering the bivalent vaccine, go to https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/ .

There is no charge for the vaccine, and no documentation of insurance is needed, although people should bring their vaccine cards. With the FDA approval of the bivalent vaccine for children ages 5-11, it is expected that reduced dosage vaccines will be available for younger children soon.

The Health Department also has free rapid antigen tests. According to Public Health Director Jennifer Brown, the department will have distributed 87,000 rapid antigen tests after handing out those tests now at hand.

For any questions, please call the Health Department at 413-259-3077.