Pathway to Reopening

Covid-19 Vaccine Eligibility

Where should I sign up?

If you are eligible to get a vaccine, an appointment can be booked online. The following groups continue to be eligible for the vaccine: people age 65+, one caregiver for a person age 75+, individuals age 16+ with 2+ certain medical conditions, all groups under Phase 1. 

Educators can make vaccination appointments through any of the following avenues:  

  • EBNHC: Prioritizing Excel staff. Call 617-568-4870 between 8AM-1PM or complete this short form so I can secure an appointment for you.
  • Mass vaccination sites: March 27, April 3, April 10, and April 11 will prioritize educators. Sign up on the pre-registration system here.
  • Appointments at other Massachusetts clinics (e.g. pharmacies or community centers) can continue to be made here.

Continue referring to the weekly COVID emails for updated information on where to access the vaccine. 

What documentation do I need? 

To get vaccinated in Phase 1 or 2, you will need to confirm you are part of the currently eligible group within those phases. To support this, all staff members received employment verification letters to use as proof of eligibility to access the vaccine. If you need a copy of your letter, please reach out to etiburcio@excelacademy.org.

If I live in another state, am I eligible for the vaccine in Massachusetts? 

Individuals who live, work, or study in Massachusetts are eligible for the vaccine in Massachusetts. We will provide staff with the verification needed to access the vaccine. (Source: Mass.gov)

Which vaccine should I get? Is one better than the other? 

There are now three COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. While all three have slightly different levels of efficacy (how much the vaccine lowers the risk of COVID-19) in preventing severe to moderate cases of COVID-19 (~95% for Pfizer and Moderna and 72% for Johnson & Johnson in the US, respectively), all three are close to 100% effective at preventing hospitalization and deaths. For example, no one who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to go to the hospital for a COVID-19 infection after getting the vaccination. Because of this, experts recommend you get the vaccine that is available to you. Read more here to learn about efficacy and why a vaccine with higher efficacy does not necessarily mean it’s better.

Important Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Record Keeping on Vaccination

    Who should I notify at Excel when I have been vaccinated?

    Yes, please keep any documentation you receive that demonstrates you have been vaccinated. Please email vaccine@excelacademy.org to notify Etna Tiburcio, our COVID Response Fellow, and Andrew Solomon, our CFO, when you have been vaccinated. Please indicate the date of vaccination and whether it was your first or second dose. You do not need to share any other medical or personal information. This data will be maintained confidentially. No one other than Etna and Andrew will have access to individual-level data. 

    Do I need to retain my vaccination record?

    Yes, we would strongly encourage you to keep any documentation you receive that demonstrates you have been vaccinated. We would also recommend you take a picture and email it to yourself so you have a copy. While Excel is not collecting this documentation at this time, it is conceivable that the state or federal government might at some point mandate collection. You may also need it for other purposes down the line.

    Why does Excel need to know whether I have been vaccinated?

    When we start to return to school in-person at the appropriate time, it will be critical to know as a matter of public health who remains at significant risk of infection. For instance, if there is a reported positive student case, we would focus first on ensuring that any staff who were close contacts of that student but were not vaccinated quarantine and receive support. Excel may also be asked by DESE or the state to share population-level (not individual-level) information regarding our rates of staff vaccination as part of the public health initiative.

  • Absences Due to Vaccination

    What should I do if I see an available vaccination appointment online that conflicts with my school duties?

    You should prioritize your vaccination. Of course, it’s problematic if staff no-show a student-facing obligation without notice. So please let your manager and your Dean of Operations know right away if you are able to secure a slot that happens to conflict with a school duty so they can arrange coverage. If given the choice between two times on the same day where one creates a conflict with school duties and the other does not, please try to choose the latter.

    What will happen if I feel unwell after getting my vaccinations?

    It’s not uncommon to experience soreness in your arm or mild flu-like symptoms for 1-2 days after getting your vaccination. These symptoms indicate that your immune system is generating an immune response to the vaccine! The CDC provides some tips for caring for yourself after the vaccination here. Most people are able to take a pain or fever-reducer (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) after vaccination (not before) and move forward with their day as normal. However, if needed, you will be allowed to take 1-2 days to recuperate outside of our standard 8 sick and personal days allotted per year. You should reach out to your manager and the Dean of Operations to make sure there is a plan for coverage if you are particularly concerned about how you’ll feel after the shot.

  • Vaccine Safety

    Several questions about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine have been posed. All questions have been compiled to provide a more comprehensive overview of COVID-19 vaccine safety.

    What vaccines are available?

    There are three vaccines that have emergency use authorization: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are given as a two dose vaccine. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is given as a one dose vaccine. 

    If I am pregnant or breastfeeding, can I still get the vaccine? 

    The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine, and the CDC have said that pregnant and breastfeeding women should be offered the vaccine when eligible. Your obstetric provider or medical team can provide specific guidance based on your personal health.

    Is it common to have a stronger reaction after the second COVID-19 vaccine dose? 

    It is normal to have a stronger reaction after the second dose of your vaccine because that is when your immune system really kicks into gear. During the first dose, the body learns to make antibodies to fight COVID-19. During the second dose, the antibodies are kicked into action. Although stronger reactions after the second dose are common, some people have little or no reaction. Look at these tips to care for yourself after the vaccination.

    What are the side effects of the vaccines? 

    The best information on the side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines comes from the large phase 3 trials that were used as the basis for the Emergency Use Authorizations. For the Pfizer vaccine, the top three common side effects were soreness or redness at the site of injection (84% of vaccine recipients), fatigue (63%), and headache (55%). For the Moderna vaccine, the top three common side effects were soreness or redness at the site of injection (92%), fatigue (69%), and headache (69%). For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the top three common side effects were pain at the injection site (49%), headache (39%), and fatigue (38%). Look at these tips to care for yourself after the vaccination.

    Can the second dose of the vaccine be given sooner than 21 or 28 days?

    When you receive your first shot, you are provided with a date to come in for your second shot. It is important that you return as close to this designated day as possible. If not possible, the second dose of the vaccine can be administered within a grace period of 4 days earlier than the designated date for the second dose to still be considered valid. (Source: CDC) 

    If I had COVID-19 should I still get the vaccine?

    The CDC recommends getting the COVID-19 vaccine even if you have had COVID-19 before. This is due to the health risks associated with COVID-19 and the possibility of reinfection. (Source: CDC)

  • COVID-19 After the Vaccine

    Can I still get COVID-19 after being vaccinated? 

    It is possible to still get COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. No vaccine is 100% effective. However, your chances are much lower and researchers believe you may be less likely to get as sick as you would if you were unvaccinated. There is a growing body of evidence that vaccination decreases the risk of illness, hospitalization and death. Country-wide data from Israel, which leads the world in vaccinating its population, suggests that the Pfizer vaccine is able to cut Covid-19 illness by 95.8% and hospitalization and death by 98.9% (Source). 

    Now that I am fully vaccinated, what can I do?

    People are considered to be fully vaccinated if they have received the second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than 14 days ago. When fully vaccinated, you have a high level of protection from mild illness and extremely high level of protection against severe illness and hospitalization. This means you are able to engage in some day-to-day activities you were unable to before! Take a look at these two articles about what you can do post-vaccine. 

    Can someone with a vaccine still spread the virus?

    Scientists are still investigating whether the vaccine can prevent people from carrying the vaccine and infecting others. This is why even if individuals are vaccinated, they should continue to engage in masking, physical distancing, and handwashing as preventative measures.

    Can I still get COVID-19 after being vaccinated?

    It is possible to still get COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. No vaccine is 100% effective. However, your chances are much lower and researchers believe you may be less likely to get as sick as you would if you were unvaccinated. For example, even when people get two doses of the MMR vaccine, about 3 out of 100 people will get measles if exposed to the virus. Yet because they get vaccinated, they are more likely to have a milder illness and are also less likely to spread measles to other people.  

  • Development of the Vaccine

    Timeline of Vaccine Development: Scientists were able to develop vaccines quickly because they used existing research from work they had done on SARS and MERS, coronaviruses that are similar to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This, in addition to the following factors, allowed vaccine companies to move quickly:

    • The U.S. and other governments invested a lot of money to help vaccine companies. The vaccine development program was likely the most intensive scientific effort by the largest number of scientists, doctors, and policymakers in world history.
    • Vaccine companies began making the vaccine at the same time that studies were happening in the hopes it would be proven safe and effective. This meant vaccines were ready to be distributed once they were approved.
    • There were enough research participants to test COVID-19 vaccines since plenty of people wanted to help. (Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine)

    Watch this 1 minute video for a brief overview of how the COVID-19 vaccine was developed quickly.

    Careful Testing:

    All vaccines have to go through clinical trials to test safety and effectiveness. This infographic by the National Institutes of Health shows the three phases all vaccines go through. Not all vaccines have been successful. There are many that failed or haven’t been successful yet.  

    The FDA and other reviewers also closely analyze the diverse populations included in the clinical trials for safety purposes. Watch this short video to learn the percentage of people of color, older age groups, and people with chronic conditions included in the clinical trials. 

    In the U.S., the three vaccines that have gone through all phases and were authorized to be used are the Pfizer-BioNTech, the Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

    Side Effects:

    The best information on the side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines comes from the large phase 3 clinical trials. For the Pfizer vaccine, the top three common side effects were soreness or redness at the site of injection (84% of vaccine recipients), fatigue (63%), and headache (55%). For the Moderna vaccine, the top three common side effects were soreness or redness at the site of injection (92%), fatigue (69%), and headache (69%). For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the top three common side effects were pain at the injection site (49%), headache (39%), and fatigue (38%).

    Rarely, a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, may occur, most often in people known to have had severe vaccine reactions in the past. CDC estimates suggest this might occur in 11 cases per million doses. It usually occurs soon after vaccination, and can be treated with an EpiPen. This is why people are observed for at least 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. (Source: Harvard Health)

    Look at these tips to care for yourself after the vaccination. 

    Continuous Monitoring: As people continue to get vaccinated, the CDC, FDA, and other federal partners use multiple systems and information sources to continue making sure the vaccines are as safe as possible. Read here to learn about all the ways safety is being monitored. Below are two we have chosen to highlight: 

    • V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after individuals receive the vaccine. Individuals can quickly tell the CDC if any side effects are experienced.
    • The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System is a national system that collects reports from healthcare professionals, vaccine manufacturers, and the public of any adverse events, or unexpected reactions, that might happen after being vaccinated.