Phone (617) 547-1995
COVID19
Where you can find important COVID19 related links and resources and office updates
VACCINES
THE VACCINES WE HAVE BY AGE GROUP:
6 months - 5 years: Moderna two dose primary series separate by 4 weeks. Moderna bivalent booster at least 2 month after last received dose.
5 years - 11 years: Pfizer two dose primary series separated by at least 3 weeks. Pfizer bivalent booster at least 2 month after last received dose.
12 years and older: Pfizer two dose primary series separated by at least 3 weeks. Pfizer bivalent booster at least 2 months after last received dose.
BELOW ARE THE WAYS YOUR CHILD CAN RECEIVE THE VACCINE.
Well visits: your child can be vaccinated for COVID, along with routine childhood immunizations, during any regularly scheduled well visit. Eligible siblings can be vaccinated at the same time. No need to call ahead!
Sick visits, weight checks, or follow up visits: your child can also be vaccinated during any of these appointments, as long as they do not have a fever. Eligible siblings can be vaccinated at the same time. No need to call ahead!
Immunization visit: You can call the office to schedule an immunization visit. Please remember that these visits are intended to be quick and are usually not done with a clinician. If your child has needle phobia or you have other questions you would like to discuss with a clinician, please tell the front staff you need to schedule a full clinic visit.
AM I UP TO DATE? - CHECK OUT THIS CDC PAGE TO FIND OUT.
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TESTING
IN OFFICE TESTING
WE HAVE PCR TESTING IN OUR OFFICE.
TURNAROUND TIME UP TO 72 HOUR THOUGH USUALLY FASTER.
We are doing same day testing for symptomatic patients or known exposures. We currently can not accommodate testing for travel.
We currently are able to test any of our patients, not parents, guardians or caregivers, who have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, are close contacts of a known positive case (typically day 5 or later after last known exposure). The symptoms are:
- Fever (≥100.0°F), chills, or shaking chills
- Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Headache when in combination with other symptoms
- Muscle aches or body aches
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
- Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
We perform an anterior nares (front of the nose) swab in each nostril.
Our office charges for a visit and the test. We can not guarantee that your insurance will cover all these costs. Typically insurance will cover the test if symptomatic or for exposure but you may want to call your insurance company to confirm. You may receive a charge for the visit depending on your deductible and co-pays.
Below we have testing sites that we recommend for testing that has a quick turnaround and is free. Many of these sites are where we and our families have gone for testing.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CALLING OTHER SITES
Does the site perform testing on children my child's age?
Do I need to make an appointment?
What is the expected turnaround?
What is the wait time in line for a test?
Will I be charged for testing?
RECOMMENDED TESTING SITES
Cambridge Resident Testing through CIC
Mass.gov List of Testing Sites
City of Boston testing sites: Boston has a number of sites set up that are open to the public and either are free or take insurance.
Project Beacon: Free testing in a Framingham, New Bedford, and Revere.
CIC public testing, $80 per test in Cambridge and Newton, Free Fall River, Greenfield and Lowell, 2 years and older.
VACCINES - OTHER INFO
WHERE ELSE TO GET VACCINATED
- Check out the City of Cambridge Getting Your Child Vaccinated page
- Go to vaxfinder.mass.gov to see all Massachusetts vaccine locations
- Call 2-1-1, the Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line, for help by phone.
- Cambridge pharmacies offering the COVID-19 vaccine: Cambridge CVS, Walgreens, Star Market, and Inman Pharmacy.
OTHER INFORMATION
- NO insurance, ID, or social security number needed. You may be asked for ID at some sites, but it is not required or mandatory.
- Getting a vaccine will NOT affect a public charge determination or immigration status.
LINKS AND RESOURCES
INFORMATION ON THE VIRUS
Boston Children's Hospital COVID-19 Page
COVID19 Fact Sheets for different ages in many different languages
BEING AT HOME / TALKING WITH KIDS / MENTAL HEALTH
Helping Kids Cope With Coronavirus - a thank you gift from us!
How to talk to your children about coronavirus
COVID19 Fact Sheets for different ages in many different languages
Working and learning from home during the COVID-19 outbreak
Center for the Study of Taumatic Stress - COVID-19 Fact Sheets
Feeling The Stress Of Online Learning And Endless Worksheets? Try Finding Time For Play
Resources from the American Psychological Association
FOOD
FINANCIAL
QUARANTINE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE STILL FUN!
In no particular order here are some things we think might be fun or that we have tried and are fun to do while stuck at home...
Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation designed specially for kids aged 3+, used in schools and homes all over the world.
Check out these virtual train rounds from around the world!
A dad doing fun things with his 2 kids that you can do at home too
Great short podcasts to introduce classical composers to kids. Fun to pair with some Looney Tunes
Lots of cool things on Google Arts and Culture including seeing how Picasso and Mili made art with light. Then try it at home!
Quick and fun little activity with beautiful results
Fun craft projects
From the Fabric Workshop and Museum some fun little art projects
MUSICAL TOURS
Go for a drive and pick a musician or band to work through. Dr. Gall started with The Beatles.
From the Guggenheim, Jeff sketches stories and prompts folks to make sketches of their own.
The author of "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" and "Piggie and Gerald" books teaches kids how to doodle, including many of his most famous characters.
VOLUNTEERING
Looking for ways to be involved in efforts to help your community? Here are some ways we have found.
This website is a great place to find ways to teach kids compassion and empathy, providing ways to engage them in giving activities. In addition, it does provides links to local places to volunteer.
An all volunteer community effort to help link individuals in need to with individuals who can help. Their document also has a ton of other useful COVID information and more links for places to volunteer. If you want to sign up immediately for a need or to help click here to fill out their form.
BELMONT COVID-19 NEED FUNDS
Donate to our local Covid19 Needs Fund; all funds go directly towards COVID-19 relief efforts and to people in need. For tax deductible donations, make checks payable to “Winn Brook School PTA” and mail to: Amy Kirsch, 8 Jason Road, Belmont, MA 02478; write Belmont in memo line. To make a donation online (online donations are not tax deductible), go here.
A community run effort to link Watertown residents with a need to individuals who can help. Sign up for a need or to help with these forms.
Food for Free has been rescuing food that would otherwise have been wasted and getting it to those in need in Cambridge since 1981. They have a number of volunteer opportunities.
"Boston Cares is partnering with The Greater Boston Food Bank to provide centralized volunteer recruitment and coordination to meet the emerging needs of our network of partner hunger-relief agencies, including food pantries, community meal programs and other food assistance providers throughout the nine counties and 190 towns and cities across Eastern Massachusetts."
Free deliveries and friendly check-ins for those at-risk for COVID-19. Get what you need safely, from a volunteer neighbor. Here is the volunteer page.
An organization serving the seniors in many of our local towns get access to food and other services. Here is their volunteer page. They need donations as well.
If you would like to be a volunteer responder during a Massachusetts health-related emergency or event then check this site out and register.
This website and associated app you can download connects young people to age appropriate volunteer activities.