City of New Bedford Health Department makes available seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines

“The New Bedford Health Department is making influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccines available ahead of the holiday season.

Everyone 6 months and older is eligible for an updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine and a seasonal flu vaccine. Contact the Health Department at 508-991-6199 to make an appointment or for more information. The Health Department is located in the Quest Center, 1213 Purchase St.

Flu Vaccines
The Health Department offers standard and high-dose flu vaccines onsite by appointment.

The Health Department also can visit homebound residents to give a flu shot, by appointment. Flu shots are free with an insurance card and $10 without an insurance card.

Call the Health Department Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to schedule an appointment. Local pharmacies offering the influenza vaccine can be located by entering your zip code at vaccines.gov.

For additional information:

Key Facts about Influenza (Flu) and Flu Vaccine
• Visit Flu.gov

COVID Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines are available to nearly all Massachusetts residents for little or no cost.

The Health Department offers the vaccine to qualifying individuals without insurance through the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Bridge Access Program. On-site and in-home appointments are available by calling the City Health Department.

Local pharmacies offering COVID-19 vaccines can be found by entering your zip code at vaccines.gov.

Additionally, homebound individuals can request an in-home vaccine appointment through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at (833) 983-0485 or online at MDPH CV-19 In-Home Vaccination Program.

For information about COVID-19 and influenza transmission in Massachusetts, visit MA Respiratory Illness Reporting.”-City of New Bedford.




New Bedford man alleges girlfriend had his dog “Chevy” taken away from him unfairly

“So it’s been over a week now since I lost my dog I thought with time it would be better but it’s not. I’m actually more angry then when it happened.

2 years ago I bought a dog during COVID because I missed having one around. I have two boys that live with me half the week. At the time I had a girlfriend that didn’t live with me but was here a lot. She offered to help out with the dog because I work a lot. Which was fine because she would take him for walks and stuff like that. It also gave her something to do. I had no problem with that.


Andrew Roy photo.

I never asked her to do anything, she just automatically did it. I did not see a problem with that. About 2 months ago the flame in our relationship went out and I told her it was time we move on. She did ask if she could still come by and see my dog but I said that I didn’t think that was a good idea because it’s not going to provide closure for any of us. It was better just to end it totally.

That obviously rubbed her the wrong way and I’m sure it rubs other people the wrong way as well but I’m sorry there was no way that type of relationship was going to work out. So instead she took me to small claims court in New Bedford and stated that I gave my dog to her as a Valentine’s Day gift. Something that was absolutely not true!

She made a post when I bought my dog shortly after Valentine’s Day stating that the dog was the best Valentine’s Day gift ever. I never saw this post or even heard about it until I was in court but it did not state that I bought him for her as a gift, it just said ‘best gift ever.’


Andrew Roy photo.

I also provided a receipt for the earrings that I bought her for Valentine’s Day that year. That was her only evidence in this case. On my side of the case, I have all the adoption paperwork in my name and my name only. He has a chip in his back in case he ever gets lost. Animal control can scan it and it has all my information so that he can be returned to me, and I named him ‘Chevy’ becaise I just happened to be a Chevrolet guy.

In the adoption paperwork it says on two separate pages that I cannot give or sell my dog to anyone or the adoption agency can take him away from whoever has it. I read these lines to the judge and yet I lost the first case!

He was also a magistrate and not a judge so I appealed it. Then we stood in front of an actual judge in the district court and he also ruled in her favor. So I legally lost my dog and I still can’t figure out how this is possible. All the evidence that I provided against her Facebook post and I lost. Does that mean someone can go into someone else’s house and say something was a gift and get it just like that?


Andrew Roy photo.

Is it because I’m a man and she’s a woman?

The reason I’m posting this is to show that the New Bedford Court system was wrong and what happened to me is not right. I obviously know they have way more important things to do than to fight a case about a dog but I’m still a human being that bought something on his own. I pay taxes I stay out of trouble and I don’t see how it was even possible to prove anymore that he was mine and not hers. And now he’s smack dab in the middle of the city in an apartment with only a driveway to go to the bathroom and I’m sitting here looking at my half acre of land on the outskirts of the city with his two level dog house that I custom made for him and it is empty.

I just want my dog back.-Andrew Roy.


Andrew Roy photo.


Andrew Roy photo.




Bristol Community College lifts COVID-19 vaccination requirement

“At the conclusion of the Bristol Community College’s Spring 2023 semester, on May 18, 2023, students and employees will no longer need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of in-person entry, participation, enrollment or employment.

Students attending the Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 semesters will not have a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. Specific groups of students and employees may be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of their clinical or external placements.

Although Bristol is lifting this requirement, in conjunction with the 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges, the college will remain vigilant in monitoring health guidance and practicing important safety measures including:

• Wearing masks or face coverings indoors at any Bristol Community College location when COVID-19 transmission rates are high.

• High-quality masks and COVID-19 test kits will continue to be available at all college locations.

• Encouraging our community members to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.

For more information, regarding Bristol Community College’s COVID-19 vaccination policy update, including a statement from the 15 Massachusetts Community College Presidents, please click here.”




FEMA awards over $1.4 Million to Massachusetts for COVID-19 Hospital cleaning costs

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $1.4 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the increased cost of cleaning at state-run health care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1,401,885 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the cost of contracting for daily cleaning and disinfection of state-run medical facilities between July 2020 and January 2021 to allow them to safely operate in a pandemic environment.

The four facilities were the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Tewksbury Hospital, Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children in Canton and Western Massachusetts Hospital in Westfield.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.6 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit. To learn more about the COVID-19 response in Massachusetts, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4496.”




Massachusetts Gov. Healey’s $389 million supplemental budget includes shelters, child care, food security

New law provides needed funding for shelters, food security and child care, while also extending several COVID-era programs and policies.

“Governor Maura T. Healey signed a $388.7 million supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2023 that provides critical and timely resources to the state’s family shelter system to meet surging demand, ensures that Massachusetts can continue to offer all children free school meals through the end of the academic year.

The budget also allocates $68 million to continue Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants to stabilize the state’s child care providers through the end of the fiscal year, and $130 million to create an offramp from the federal extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a benefit that the federal government began providing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the direct spending, the bill signed by the Governor authorizes more than $740 million in borrowing to prevent interruptions to core state capital programs that support housing and economic development across the Commonwealth, and to remain competitive in the pursuit of federal grants. This includes $400 million for MassWorks, $104 million for the Clean Water Trust and $125 million for matching grants to be competitive for federal dollars available through the CHIPS and Science Act.

“I’m proud that the first major bill signed into law by our administration dedicates crucial resources to help Massachusetts families access safe and secure housing, keep food on the table, and pay for child care. Additionally, this bill supports our health care workforce, crucial housing and economic development programs like MassWorks, and our efforts to compete for federal funding,” said Governor Healey. “We’re grateful to Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, the Legislature and advocates for their swift work and partnership to meet these urgent needs.”

“This supplemental budget injects urgently needed funds into programs that support Massachusetts families and drive housing and economic development across our state. It also takes important steps to educate the public on their options around reproductive health care, extends accessibility and flexibility for public meetings, protects access to clean water and bolsters broadband infrastructure,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We’re proud to have strong partners in this work and look forward to our continued efforts to move Massachusetts forward.”

The supplemental budget passed by the Legislature and signed today combines many of the priorities Governor Healey outlined in three separate bills filed over her first few months in office.

With the shelter system currently at capacity, this timely appropriation will inject $85 million into the state’s Emergency Assistance Family Shelters to meet the demand of a growing number of families, immigrants and refugees facing homelessness. This includes investments in housing infrastructure and the shelter provider workforce that helps to stabilize and rehouse families. At least $21.9 million will also be available to support schools through the end of the 2023-2024 school year to support communities experiencing a large influx of families with school-aged children due to state shelter placements.

The $130 million for SNAP will bridge the abrupt end of the enhanced federal COVID benefit for more than 630,000 Massachusetts families by providing a supplemental SNAP allotment to recipients equal to 40 percent of the previous federal benefit for three months. Another $2 million would be dedicated to reimbursing certain victims of SNAP benefit theft, also known as “skimming.” 

Additional investments include:

• $15.7 million for Residential Assistance for Families in Transition

• $1.25 million for family and reproductive health services, including a $1 million public awareness campaign focused on the dangers of crisis pregnancy centers and pregnancy resource centers

• $2 million to support the 114th National NAACP Conference in Boston

The bill signed into law today also addresses many of the most immediate capital needs identified by the Healey-Driscoll administration in January, including the MassWorks program, which is the largest and most flexible source of capital funds to municipalities for public infrastructure projects that support and accelerate housing production, spur community development and create jobs throughout the Commonwealth.

It authorizes funding for the Clean Water Trust to finance communities’ efforts to improve water infrastructure and improve local water quality; $34 million to help revitalize underutilized properties; and $9.3 million for broadband infrastructure, particularly in central and western Massachusetts communities. 

The matching grant funding in the budget, including $200 million for the CHIPS and Science Act and $30 million to allow the Commonwealth to compete for community broadband dollars funded at the federal level through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will ensure that Massachusetts can compete for every dollar available at the federal level.

“I am grateful to our partners in the Legislature, and my colleagues in the Cabinet, for working together expeditiously to get this critical budget to Governor Healey for her signature in a timely fashion,” Secretary for Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz said. “This funding will not only ensure that our shelters and other food security safety net programs can meet the demand of vulnerable residents, but also puts Massachusetts in a strong position to compete for federal dollars that will benefit communities across the Commonwealth.”

With the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the horizon in May, this new law will extend three Public Health Orders issued in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic to temporarily extend staffing flexibilities for advanced life support ambulances and freestanding dialysis providers, and continue flexibilities for the administration of prescription medications to clients of state agencies who reside in community settings.

It also extends for two years through March 31, 2025 allowances for public bodies, including Town Meetings, to meet remotely and for one year the expedited permitting of outdoor dining and the sale of beer, wine and cocktails to go.

______________________________________________________________

Statements of Support:

Mark Dejoie, CEO, Centerboard

“We are thankful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for the substantial funding for shelter expansion. Many Commonwealth families are struggling right now, and this will help provide them with more resources and a safe place to go. We thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration for increasing the access to these resources and looking out for our families.”

Jennifer Lemmerman, Vice President of Public Policy, Project Bread

“As the statewide anti-hunger organization focused on expanding access to programs like school meals and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Project Bread celebrates today’s signing of a supplemental budget that will ensure that all students, including the 80,000 additional students now eating lunch every day across our state, will continue to have access to free school meals for the remainder of the school year. We also share in the relief that families across the state will feel as a glidepath is provided through this budget to ease the disruption caused by the abrupt termination of federal pandemic SNAP benefits. At Project Bread, we work with individuals every day who are struggling to meet the most basic of human needs – food. Today, over 20% of families in Massachusetts – and over 30% of Black and Latino families – are food insecure. SNAP and school meals have been effective in not only alleviating, but also preventing hunger in Massachusetts. We applaud Governor Healey for leading on solutions that can meet the scale of the need and provide these families with comprehensive and sustainable solutions.”

Catherine D’Amato, President and CEO, The Greater Boston Food Bank

“At a time when the cost of living, food and utilities are at an all-time high, food insecurity and demand at our nearly 600 partners across Eastern Massachusetts are rising and every measure to soften the blow to our communities will help. We are grateful to the Governor’s commitment to ending hunger in our Commonwealth. Providing a glide path for SNAP recipients losing critical nutrition benefits and ensuring school meals for all continues in this school year will help to offset the overall impact of individuals and households who are struggling with food access.”

Georgia Katsoulomitis, Executive Director, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

“We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for leading the nation in providing state dollars to mitigate the harm of federal cuts to food assistance. This will help 1 in 7 Massachusetts residents who struggle to put food on the table. We are proud to partner with the Administration in tackling hunger and poverty in the Commonwealth.”

Geoffrey C. Beckwith, Executive Director & CEO, Massachusetts Municipal Association

“On behalf of cities and towns across the state, we applaud Governor Healey and the Massachusetts Legislature for enacting this outstanding bill. This measure invests $400 million into local economies through the MassWorks grant program, injects $104 million in the Clean Water Trust to improve local water systems throughout the state, and extends the extremely effective option to conduct public meetings virtually, making it easier for the public to access and see local government in action. This bill supports cities and towns at every level and we are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and all our lawmakers.” “




Massachusetts Gov. Healey to rescind vaccine mandate, end COVID-19 public health emergency

Administration also files legislation to extend certain staffing flexibilities for health care providers; Will rescind vaccine mandate for Executive Branch employees on May 11.

“Today the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023, to align with the end of the federal public health emergency. The announcement this week, ahead of the 45-day notice required by state law, allows additional time for impacted organizations to prepare for the end of the public health emergency.

Governor Healey will also file legislation that would extend key flexibilities provided by the public health emergency, particularly around staffing for the health care industry and emergency medical services (EMS). The Governor also announced that on May 11 she plans to rescind Executive Order 595 that required all Executive Branch state employees to have received their primary series COVID-19 vaccines.

“Thanks to the hard work of our health care providers and communities, we’ve made important progress in the fight against COVID-19,” said Governor Healey. “We know that we have the tools to manage this virus – vaccines, masking, testing, getting treatments and staying home when sick – and we’ve reached the point where we can update our guidance to reflect where we are now. I’d also like to acknowledge the leadership of Governor Baker and his administration, who saved countless lives by putting these important measures in place in a time of immense crisis.”

“Executive Order No. 595 has been a successful tool for boosting vaccination rates and reducing the spread and severity of COVID-19 in Massachusetts. We’re grateful to the state employees who did their part to keep themselves, their coworkers and their communities safe,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We encourage Massachusetts residents to continue taking important prevention measures to keep our communities healthy, like getting boosted, masking and staying home when you’re feeling sick.”

“We are fortunate that in Massachusetts, the wide availability of vaccines, tests, effective treatments, and PPE changed the course of a pandemic that brought loss and hardship to so many. Three years on from the start of the pandemic, we are now in a very different place,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. “While we will continue living with COVID-19, we can now incorporate the tools to manage this virus into our standing response to respiratory illness within our communities and healthcare system.”

Governor Healey’s legislation would:

• Continue flexibilities currently in place regarding staffing for out-of-hospital dialysis centers. This would apply for 6 months to allow dialysis centers time to return to pre-COVID staffing levels.

• Authorize certain non-Medication Administration Program (MAP) certified staff to administer certain prepackaged medications in community settings. This would apply for 6 months to enable DPH to finalize reforms that streamline the MAP program training requirements.

• Allow staffing of Advanced Life Support level ambulance transports with a single EMT provider and a first responder driver (rather than 2 certified EMTs). This would be a permanent change based on the positive experience of this staffing model over the last three years.

Executive Order No. 595 helped raise the percentage of fully vaccinated executive department employees from around 76 percent to over 99 percent. Mandates for staff in certain roles and settings will remain in place, per CMS and EOHHS regulations.”




Two former directors of Boston Nonprofit indicted on additional fraud charges

Defendants allegedly defrauded Boston COVID-19 relief fund and Boston Office of Housing Stability.

The former founder and chief executive of the local nonprofit Violence in Boston (VIB) and her husband, also a former founding director of the organization, have been charged in a superseding indictment today charging additional schemes to defraud the City of Boston out of COVID-19 relief funds and rental assistance money.

Monica Cannon-Grant, 42, and Clark Grant, 39, both of Taunton, have been charged by a federal grand jury in a 27-count superseding indictment, returned today with three counts of wire fraud conspiracy; 17 counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy; and one count of making false statements to a mortgage lending business. The new wire fraud charges center on alleged schemes to obtain and utilize pandemic assistance funds from the Boston Resiliency Fund for purposes not disclosed to the City, including for their own personal benefit, as well as to fraudulently obtain rental assistance payments from Boston’s Office of Housing Stability. Cannon-Grant was also charged with mail fraud, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Cannon-Grant and Clark Grant were previously charged in an 18-count indictment in March 2022. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

Cannon-Grant was the founder and CEO of VIB, an anti-violence nonprofit formally established in 2017, the stated purpose of which is to reduce violence, raise social awareness and aid community causes in Boston, among other purposes. Grant is Cannon-Grant’s husband, a founding director of VIB and, beginning in July 2018 until recently, was a full-time employee for a commuter services company.

According to the superseding indictment, the defendants allegedly conspired to use VIB to defraud the Boston Resiliency Fund, a charitable fund established by the City of Boston to provide aid to Boston residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. After receiving approximately $53,977 in pandemic relief funds, the defendants allegedly withdrew approximately $30,000 in cash from the VIB bank account, some of which the defendants kept. After depositing the COVID-19 relief grant check, the defendants are also alleged to have used VIB funds to pay their auto loan and auto insurance bills.

In addition, the superseding indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to defraud Boston’s Office of Housing Stability by concealing thousands of dollars of household income in order to obtain $12,600 in rental assistance from the City of Boston. Instead of truthfully reporting that Clark Grant was receiving pandemic unemployment assistance (in addition to his salary), and that other family members were gainfully employed and receiving pandemic unemployment (in the case of one other family member), the defendants allegedly misrepresented their actual household income to obtain rent relief funds that were intended to aid Boston residents who were facing housing insecurity.

It is further alleged that the defendants conspired to defraud the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance by submitting a forged employment document so that another family member could receive approximately $43,893 in unemployment assistance, bringing the total amount of fraudulent unemployment assistance received by the defendants and their co-conspirators to approximately $145,269. Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that Cannon-Grant filed false tax returns for 2017 and 2018 and that she failed to file tax returns for 2019 and 2020, failing to report tens of thousands of dollars that Cannon-Grant received from VIB and an entity with which she contracted to provide consulting services.

If you believe you are a victim of or have information pertaining to the crimes alleged against the defendants, you may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts at: (617) 748-3663.

The charges of wire fraud conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements to a mortgage lending business provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of failure to file a tax return provides for a sentence of up to one year of prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $25,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Deitch and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.” -Massachusetts Department of Justice.




Massachusetts officials remind residents about importance of flu and COVID-19 vaccinations

“With flu season underway, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is reminding residents of all ages to get vaccinated. Flu activity across the country is higher than usual so far this year. Residents can get both a flu shot and a COVID-19 booster in the same visit.

“This flu season, residents can protect themselves and their families by getting a flu vaccine even if they haven’t gotten a vaccine in years past,” said Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke. “It’s easy to get your flu shot along with your COVID-19 booster if you’re eligible for one, and both vaccines are widely available.”

The flu can lead to serious illness, hospitalization, or death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there have already been 13 million cases, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 7,300 deaths due to flu this season. The most common symptoms of flu are fever, cough, and sore throat. Symptoms can also include body aches, headaches, chills, runny nose, and fatigue.

Flu vaccination is especially important for people who are at higher risk of severe disease which could result in hospitalization or death. People at higher risk include those who are over age 65 or under 2 years, and anyone with a chronic respiratory condition, heart disease, a weakened immune system, or who is pregnant. Antiviral medications, such as Tamiflu, are available with a prescription to help reduce disease severity.

“Everyone over the age of 6 months is eligible for both the flu and COVID vaccines and can receive both vaccines at the same time. Spending time around more people increases the chances you will be exposed to one or more viruses,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, Medical Director of DPH’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. “The current flu vaccine is a good match to the circulating strains and gives you the antibodies you need to help fight off infection.”

COVID and flu vaccines are both widely available for everyone 6 months and older. Other actions that people can take to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu and COVID-19 include staying home when sick, keeping children home from daycare or school if sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and practicing good handwashing hygiene.

Find a flu and/or COVID-19 vaccine site near you. Information about influenza and COVID-19 is available by visiting mass.gov/influenza or mass.gov/covid19, calling your health care provider, local board of health, or DPH at (617) 983-6800.” -Mass.gov.




New Bedford holiday schedules for FREE COVID-19 testing and vaccine locations

Residents encouraged to stock up on free COVID-19 test kits available at public libraries.

Local COVID-19 vaccine locations, including Project Beacon’s appointment-based COVID-19 testing at New Bedford Regional Airport, are changing their upcoming schedules to accommodate the Christmas and New Year holidays.

All local COVID-19 vaccine and testing locations will be closed on Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, 2023.

Visit vaxnb.com for updated schedules of local COVID-19 vaccination and testing locations. Upcoming vaccine locations in New Bedford include:

Thursday, Dec. 15:
PAACA (360 Coggeshall Street) – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, vaccines and boosters for adults, and children 5 years and older.

Saturday, Dec. 17:
Former Fire Station 11 (754 Brock Avenue) – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, vaccines and boosters for adults, and children 5 years and older.

Monday, Dec. 19:
Former Fire Station 11 (754 Brock Avenue) – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, vaccines and boosters for adults, and children 5 years and older.

Thursday, Dec. 22 and Thursday, Dec. 29:
PAACA (360 Coggeshall Street) – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, vaccines and boosters for adults, and children 5 years and older.

Remember to schedule your appointment for testing at the New Bedford Regional Airport (1569 Airport Road) at https://www.beacontesting.com/. Opening hours include:

Tuesdays – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursdays – 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sundays – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Free COVID-19 testing kits are also available at New Bedford public libraries. Locations and hours are as follows:

Main Library
613 Pleasant St.
(508) 991-6275
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Casa Da Saudade Branch
58 Crapo St.
(508) 991-6218
Tuesday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wilks Branch
1911 Acushnet Ave.
(508) 991-6214
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Lawler Branch
745 Rockdale Ave.
(508) 991-6216
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.”




New Bedford residents encouraged to stock up on FREE COVID-19 test kits as holiday season begins

“Building on the successful prior rounds of test kit distribution, the City of New Bedford is continuing to make available free, at-home COVID-19 test kits at public libraries across the city.

The free distribution coincides with the start of the holiday season and the approach of potential increases in COVID-19 cases. Test kits are available at New Bedford public libraries as part of the current (fourth) round of free test distribution over the past year.

Beginning in December 2021, the City has distributed nearly 72,000 kits (each containing two tests) through community partners, including 12,100 testing kits from the city’s public libraries.

Parents with vulnerable children are encouraged to obtain kits even if there is no immediate exposure risk or active case in their household. Likewise, even as overall COVID-19 transmission levels remain modest, small business owners (provided they are residents) may wish to consider obtaining kits to help protect vulnerable employees in the event of a future workplace exposure.

LIBRARY HOURS:

Free COVID-19 at-home test kits are available at all public library branches. Locations and hours are as follows:

Main Library, 613 Pleasant St.
(508) 991-6275
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Casa Da Saudade Branch, 58 Crapo St.
(508) 991-6218
Tuesday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wilks Branch, 1911 Acushnet Ave.
(508) 991-6214
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Lawler Branch, 745 Rockdale Ave.
(508) 991-6216
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Howland-Green Branch, 3 Rodney French Blvd.
(508) 991-6212
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

BACKGROUND ON TEST KITS:

Residents use the tests at home. Test results are available in minutes and samples do not need to go to a laboratory. People do not need a cell phone or computer for any part of the test. The tests are effective for all individuals 2 years of age and up, regardless of vaccination status or whether they have symptoms.

Residents are advised to take note of expiration date information on test kit boxes. Each test kit box has a sticker on the front with a Quick Response (QR) Code that can be scanned to view the tests’ expiration date online. Earlier this summer, the FDA extended the shelf life of all iHealth tests by 3 months. Learn more: https://ihealthlabs.com/pages/news

If you test negative, continue to monitor yourself for indications of infection. If you develop symptoms or existing symptoms worsen, take another home test or seek a PCR test at a testing location: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/find-a-covid-19-test

If you test positive, consider confirming your result with a PCR test at a testing location (see link above), isolate consistent with CDC guidelines, and notify any close contacts who may have been exposed to COVID-19. Learn more: mass.gov/COVIDtreatment

For more information on at-home tests, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/self-testing.html/

View COVID-19 information and indicators on the City’s website: www.newbedford-ma.gov/health-department/coronavirus/”