May 27, 2021
Dear healthcare provider:
Thank you for the important work that you are doing during this unprecedented time. Whether or not you administer COVID-19 vaccine at your practice, we are writing to ask for your support in reaching out to educate your patients age 12 and older about the COVID-19 vaccine. You are the most trusted resource for your patients in making health decisions. Your strong recommendation to get a COVID-19 vaccine could influence your patients’ decision to accept vaccination. If you are interested in administering COVID-19 vaccine at your practice, we have included instructions for enrolling in the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccination Program at the end of this letter.
Please reach out to unvaccinated patients and make a strong recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination
Whether you discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with your patients during an in-person office visit, through your patient portal, or at a telemedicine appointment, the education and recommendation you make increases the likelihood that your patient will obtain the vaccine. Key messaging includes helping your patients understand that all three COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, they all prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death, and that the vaccine is free for everyone and no ID is needed.
Patient Education Resources about COVID-19 Vaccination
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has fact sheets, animated videos, and other materials in multiple languages to support COVID-19 vaccination education. Feel free to use these on your website, on social media, in your waiting rooms, and other ways that you communicate with patients.
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Trust the Facts, Get the Vax campaign materials: TV ads, animated videos and other materials for the Commonwealth's multilingual public awareness campaign to promote the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Vaccine education and outreach materials: Graphics, fliers, and posters on topics such as: how to get a COVID-19 vaccine, preparing for your COVID-19 vaccination appointment, what to expect after vaccination, and what teens and young adults should know about the vaccine.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions: Common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, getting vaccinated, vaccine safety, and more.
Start with Your Healthcare Team
Ensure that your whole team, from the front desk to phlebotomy, has the information they need to address their own questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccine so that they can be advocates for COVID-19 vaccination. The CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for Medical Centers, Pharmacies, and Clinicians has resources to inform your healthcare teams and other staff about COVID-19 vaccines. You can use or adapt these materials to build confidence about COVID-19 vaccination among your healthcare team and other staff.
Administer the COVID-19 Vaccine at your Practice
If you would like to administer COVID-19 vaccine at your practice, please follow the steps below to become a COVID-19 Vaccine Provider in Massachusetts.
- Register with the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) to submit immunization administration data.
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Contact the MIIS Unit for more information: miishelpdesk@mass.gov.
- Complete the Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Provider (MCVP) Agreement to receive vaccine. New sites that register with the MIIS will receive the MCVP Agreement automatically.
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Contact the DPH Vaccine Unit for more information: DPH-Vaccine-Management@massmail.state.ma.us.
We appreciate all that you are doing, and we cannot thank you enough for your hard work during this challenging time.
Sincerely,
Pejman Talebian, MA, MPH
Director, Immunization Division
Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
