Vaccines & Testing

Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccines can be obtained for free at mass vaccination sites as well as pharmacies and health care providers. In Watertown, this includes the CVS locations at Main St, Mt Auburn St, and Watertown St.

To receive a vaccination from one of the mass vaccination sites, use the Vaccine Finder tool to view available walk-in appointments. Preregistration for the mass vaccination sites is no longer available.

Residents without internet access or who need assistance filling out the registration form can call 2-1-1 for help registering. Translators are also available via 2-1-1 for anyone who needs assistance.

Veterans can contact the Bedford VA Health Care system or the Boston VA Health Care system. All veterans must enroll or already be enrolled in VA Health Care to receive the vaccine from these providers.

Vaccine Eligibility

All Massachusetts residents ages 18 and older are eligible for any vaccine. Minors who are ages 5-17 can get the Pfizer vaccine with parental consent. No vaccine is currently approved for children under 5.

COVID-19 Booster Shots

Vaccine booster shots are now available for those who have received Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Eligibility

Pfizer/Moderna


Johnson & Johnson

  • All individuals 18 and older who received a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months ago.

Homebound Vaccination Program

Any individual who has trouble getting to a vaccine site is eligible for the homebound program. Individuals can call (833) 983-0485 to register for an in-home vaccination. The registration phone line is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and has representatives who speak English and Spanish, as well as translation services available in 100+ languages.

After registering, individuals will be called within five business days by the state’s Homebound Vaccine Provider, Commonwealth Care Alliance, to schedule an appointment. It may take some time to get an appointment, and the quickest way to get vaccinated remains to schedule an appointment at a vaccination site by using the Vaccine Finder.

The Homebound Program is primarily using Johnson & Johnson vaccines, a safe and effective vaccine that only requires one visit to an individual’s home. For individuals 12-17 years old who are homebound and would need significant support to leave the home to get to a medical appointment, the Homebound Program is offering Pfizer vaccines. Homebound youth are encouraged to register for the Homebound Program by Friday, May 28 to ensure that an in-home vaccination can be scheduled during the month of June.

After You're Vaccinated

You are fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine.

You should:

  • Be careful visiting people who have not been vaccinated.

  • Follow state rules about wearing a mask while using public or private transit or while visiting healthcare facilities and providers, congregate care settings and health and rehabilitative day services. Face coverings remain required indoors for staff and students of K-12 schools and early education providers.

  • Stay home and get tested if you feel sick, and isolate if you test positive for COVID-19.

You can:

  • Be outdoors or indoors in public without wearing a mask in most places, unless otherwise posted

  • Visit other people who are fully vaccinated indoors without wearing masks or social distancing.

  • Visit unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 indoors without wearing masks or social distancing.

  • Travel without quarantining when you return to Massachusetts.

COVID-19 Testing

You should get a test for COVID-19 if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild, or if you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of someone for at least 10-15 minutes while they were symptomatic, within the 48 hours before symptom onset, within the 48 hours before their test was taken, or anytime in the 10 days after the test.

Residents of communities at higher risk for COVID-19 spread are encouraged to get tested even if they have no symptoms. Watertown is not a high risk community.

Testing Sites

Testing is available at on-site locations as well as take home tests. If you have specific needs, the Massachusetts Find a COVID-19 Test tool can be used to find a convenient location that meets your needs. Search filters include drive-through testing, free testing, testing for children, and testing during extended hours/weekends.

Regional express testing centers are also available by appointment only. Tests at these locations are drive-through only and will be self-swabbed. "Stop the Spread" testing has been extended through September 30, 2021. These tests target high risk communities, but all state residents may visit the locations even if they do not reside in the community with testing.