 Okay, so welcome everybody to the Amherst Community Chat for Thursday, January 21st. Today we have Public Health Director Emma Dragon and Director of Senior Services, Mary Beth Ogilowitz joining myself and your town manager Paul Bachleman to talk a little bit today about the vaccine and to be able to answer your questions live in the room. We do see that we have a fair bit of attendees here today, so thank you for joining us. Just a quick reminder about how you can ask your questions. You can post your questions directly into the Q&A function within Zoom. You can raise your hand within Zoom and we will invite you into the room. And if you're joining from the phone, you can press star nine to raise your hand. So, we typically give Paul a moment or two to give any any updates before we hear from our guests. Thanks, Brianna. So, yeah, I'm going to be very quick because I know there's lots of questions and lots of material we want to cover today. Just it's a new day in our community where everybody's very excited. It's snowing outside. And the new day means that we've also started to administer the vaccine to our first responders and core healthcare workers. So it's always good news. So I'm interested to hear from Mary Beth and Emma about what's next, what's the next phase. Tell us more. So I'll leave it at that. Thanks, Paul. So before we get to Q&A, just for anybody who is not familiar with our special guest today, I want to give both Mary Beth and Emma a chance to introduce themselves and a quick report out on where things stand with their respective departments. So, Mary Beth, you're in my top left. So why don't you go ahead. Hi, everyone. The number one question that issue on everybody's mind of course is the vaccines. And so we do have Emma here that should be providing some more detailed information. It's not our turn yet, but we are really close to being in phase two and that's when seniors will be administered the vaccine in larger numbers. At this point in time, it's been administered to individuals who've been in long term care, assisted living facilities and also in congregate care settings. So those are the seniors that we've been able to progress through in terms of the stages within phase one. But our turn is coming up soon and we are readying and preparing for that. We'll go through some more details about how we're going to be an important partner to communicate with you information, and also resolve any issues in terms of being able to sign up and access those vaccine sites that will be set up and standing at that time. We're looking forward to supporting all of you and working with partners to do that. And then secondly, the second big issue, taxes, we are running the ARP free tax service call me on February 1 to schedule appointment and we'll be at the Hadley Senior Center and it will be curbside, and I can give you more details. So February 1 call me for taxes. Thank you Mary Beth Emma. Yeah, so we've been busy bees if you want to call that over here at the health department. We were doing testing last month. And now we have pivoted to starting our vaccine distribution we set up a site, working collaboratively with our fire department and our first responders and our police department as well and our emergency manager. Not just locally but regionally as well to get that site stood up. I can't say enough about that in terms of how we were able to work together to make it successful. We set up here at the bank center, and we were able to administer just shy of 550 vaccines last week alone, which is incredible work, and we are continuing to look forward with continuing the vaccine distribution and what the expanded rollout will be so we're just really all thinking about that. Like Mary Beth said the technology challenges that I know I'm probably not alone in sometimes and and just really trying to think about problem solving now. So that way we can be able to have everybody sign up for those vaccines and be able to get it if they want to come. Great. Thank you, Emma. So again I'll remind folks who just joined please use q amp a and or raise your hand and zoom to ask your questions live. We have a ton of questions that have been sent in that we've received via email and phone over the last week or so since the vaccine clinic started. We've had a lot of calls a lot of emails we know people are interested and have questions so I'm going to start with some of those and then I will monitor the room for for your questions live. When will the vaccine be available for seniors. Yeah, so that will be in what Massachusetts is determining to be the start of phase two distribution that is estimated to be the first week of February. Certainly that isn't as a goal, but not a set date at this time. As more information becomes available we will be sure to distribute that and in a number of different modalities that I know Brianna does so well for our town as well as languages as well to meet our community. And then I believe Mary Beth has some ways to that she communicates with her specific community members. And so phase two will be coming and more, I'm sure, as the new day like Paul said today, more to come as the new administration is here. And Mary Beth do you have a little bit more to say about your specific, you know your audience the seniors that you work with one question we had was this person's mother is 92, and she doesn't live in the area. She doesn't read the paper or watch TV how will she know when there is a vaccine clinic. How will we get that information out to seniors. We've received a number of those phone calls and inquiries particularly from older adult children who are concerned about their family member here, and I want to assure everybody that we will be using all of our communication channels. One of the important ways that we do communicate with seniors we found most effective, particularly when we closed down for coven was we used what we call a robo call. So we have seniors who come here to the senior center in our database, and I have the ability to place an automated phone call which will provide information. We have a robust database. We've asked individuals and we're making it available we posted it on Facebook. It's also going to be in our newsletter which is being mailed out this week. We have a dedicated phone line, and that phone number is 4132593038. And folks can call that phone number and leave their name their phone number and their address and date of birth. And we will be able to use that information will enter into our database and we will make sure that we place calls to you so that you're informed of that and we found that individuals who don't have technology aren't reading our papers any longer that's really an effective way, but we will be using all our channels, and our partners that are in the community. Great. And thank you, you know one question that comes up with most of our information that goes out but specifically for alerting about the vaccine clinic of the next phases is, will we have this information available in multiple languages for seniors to read, either of you. Yeah, I know that is definitely a priority for us and we're looking forward to being able to do that in different ways Mary Beth do you have more. Well I do. One of the great benefits of having been in this job for now about 18 months is that we've made some great inroads with community allies in various language communities. I've been in contact with a number of them of late, preparing sort of the process for them to communicate because what we have found in those individual language populations is that there's typically several individuals who act as community partners and are very effective at spreading the word within their own language. And so I've been preparing those kind of sideways in anticipation of this because that's the only advantage of being probably a bit later for this jurisdiction is reading what's happening in other jurisdictions. Those who are not speakers of English language have sort of been left out of the loop a bit so we're anticipating that and using our strategic partners for that. I have a question in from the room Paul did you have something to say first. No, I can do the question first. Okay, so Linda asks, will there be a way to pre register for an appointment. Yeah, absolutely. So this is the primary rollout of the vaccine is actually an appointment is required for our vaccine clinics. So real drop ins with that we are using a web based platform supplied to local boards of health and local health departments from the state called prep mod. So there is a pre registration and an appointment that you select, and you input your demographics into that as well. That being said, like I know Mary Beth and I have both identified, sometimes people aren't tech savvy. So we are plan in the planning phases now to be able to help those that are in need for assistance with setting up those appointments online. So that way we'll be able to meet everybody in our community where they're at and make sure anyone who wants to be able to get enrolled as long as we have availability with appointments and vaccine of here in the health department that we can really plug those people in as we're able to. Yeah, and I think we used prep mod. For the first responders and that worked out pretty well and it helps manage the line so if you have a slot at say 1215 you come and there's, you're in a group of 20 or 25 people so you're not queued up for hours on end. Like it was another it is can be another location so it's a good way to manage the line as well. Again, I just would like to add and reassure everybody that if it is a technology based signup process that we will be available and again I've been reaching out to partners to help us for individuals who don't have access or are not tech savvy. So we want to make sure that people know that if we need the support we're going to make sure that you have the support to get that appointment. We've been performing that role for the UMass testing so I and my staff have been enrolling people for the public testing and supporting them in that process as well. So but we have a number of partners who are prepared to help us as well. So I've got a couple of questions in the Q&A that I'm going to go to and then I do see Elizabeth's hand in the room so I will take them in order. So this is actually a good clarifying question from Lucia or Lisa does senior mean over 75 years old or over 65 years old. So many of Massachusetts altered recently or adjusted the rollout to include 65 and over a couple weeks ago maybe even last week who knows the days rolled together so 65 and older now can as well be included in the phase two. So once again for any updates because the rollout is consistently routinely changing and being updated go to that mass.gov website front slash COVID-19 and there's the updates there. Thank you and I'll just make a mention to that we linked to that from our COVID page, our vaccine page to if you've been there, the links to the site Emma just mentioned are there. Okay so I see Elizabeth was next so Elizabeth I am going to pull you into the room please unmute and introduce yourself please. Okay, thank you. I am Elizabeth Phillips. I am in that plus 75 group and I'm I am tech savvy. Emma, but what you just said there was a place where we can register for an appointment, but I missed. Did you give the site for that. I mean I would like to go do that right now. Oh, that's a great question Elizabeth. So the signups are only available right now they're only open for the phase one vaccine distribution as soon as there are signups available and appointments for that phase two distribution and we're going to go into that at the beginning of February. We will make sure that it's out to the public and and and in a various different number of forums and Brianna is great with helping with that. So that way that sign up when the time comes, you'll be sure to know. You can't sign up now if you want it to. You cannot. Okay, and I you will let me know somehow. That's right. Yeah, and Elizabeth if you if you want to get the hot off the press and communication you can also call us at 259 3038 and leave me your name and phone number and then we will be sending the robo call when Emma gives us the green light that the seniors are open and available. And you will receive a automated phone call from me to your home to tell you, here's the link and here's the information to sign up. Okay. Okay, thank you Mary that I'm hoping it's soon. No, we all are. Yeah, everyone. Stay safe in the meantime right masks and socially distance. Don't worry about that. Okay. Thank you Elizabeth. Thank you for your question. Elizabeth's point and Emma and Mary Beth, I think we're going to be putting it out there every way I don't think we have carrier pigeons yet but other than that we're going to be putting it everywhere so hopefully nobody will miss that. So I have a couple questions in the Q&A. This is a great question I've heard a couple of times now Bernadette asks her mentions her doctor's office says they will get the vaccine. Should I wait for that vaccine instead of registering with the town. What should she do. I would encourage people to get the vaccine. However, they are feeling is right for them. I think that's going to be an individual assessment, whether people are more comfortable going to their primary care providers, or maybe a pharmacy if it's an option or coming to us as an in person clinic. So I really I don't necessarily want to give a one answer fits all here. But I know that for some people getting it sooner than later is of most important so if that is a factor for someone if we are able to fit you in sooner than your primary care provider and that's your decision maker then we will be happy to have you. So you would say if you can get through your physician do that first if it's whichever comes up first. Yes, advantage. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for clarifying that. I tend to get wordy. Isn't that something. All right now we have a question. I actually have to see her hand raised so I'm going to welcome Hilda into the room Hilda if you could unmute and yeah I came in late Brianna because I just read it in the paper now that you were talking about this. So, from what I've just heard, am I required to go sign up with the senior center in order to get the alert or will go out to everybody. I think that that there are going to be a number of ways we're going to communicate killed the one thing that I can say that my role as the director of senior services is we will send an automated phone call to anybody who signs up with us to tell you that it is your time now to register for the session. But you might also the town has an alert system as well. There, we will also be sharing that information through typical media sources will be in the Gazette, it will probably be on the large signs in town. So, so I think that there's a good possibility you will learn of it's opening up through a number of channels. So my channel that I shared is just one, and I'm happy to serve in that way, if you'd like to call and so it's better if I call you. It's use of 3038. Yes, 3038. And leave the message that's the best thing to do. Yep, and I will send you a call. Okay. Thank you. My question. Yeah. So is the rest of it going to be about this or should I just hang in or hang up. Hang in. Come on. We're always happy to have you. Hang in there. We're going to talk. There's a little bit more questions that you might find relevant, but you're okay. I have a class of 1230 so I'll hang in there till the other goes up to write down 3038 before I forget. Okay. Thanks, Zelda. This is kind of confusing because you often will hear, Oh, I heard so and so my friend so and so got vaccinated in New York or I got rules are different in other states, or so and so got got a vaccine in a different community. But they are living in a different kind of housing complex where they've already done and contracted for it. So I think what's going to be confusing for a lot of people is that they're going to hear different things from different people. And we have to keep helping people understand what's the what's the reality in our community at this point and, and we're following the state's guidelines or whatever it is the state says we're following that. I mean, I think that is confusing to people because I hear it from other folks too is that, Oh, I had a friend and they got the vaccine how they get it and you don't know their individual circumstance. And why can't I get it but we all feel the anxiety of I want to get the vaccine as soon as we can, as soon as it's available, you know, you must be feeling seeing it feeling that a lot. Yeah, and I guess, you know, one of the things that I was going to hop off with your thread, Paul is that there are things that you can do in the meantime while you're waiting for that green light to be able to register and get the vaccine. So for many people they do have a piece of mind through monitoring the media and that when you talk about the multiple sources. As Emma has already mentioned if you go to mass.gov, and then when can I get the vaccine, you will get the updated information. And I keep telling people that is the reliable source and that's the source through which the town is reliant on about what stage in the phase is eligible for a vaccine so there are a lot of pernicious rumors out there. We've had seniors showing up in parking lots saying that there's some secret list or that you know there's extra files at the end of the day. And we really wanted to discourage that because it's just led to greater anxiety but there are meaningful things you can do you can you can monitor the website for the updated information and it gets updated on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So you can continue to practice those good social distancing skills that wet mask wearing washing your hands, and you can also get COVID testing at UMass. So, you know that's quick it's easy it provides a piece of mind for any of you who you're having to feel like you're waiting extra time, and we can always help you to sign up. I know it's a great opportunity to just make sure that you feel good that that you don't have COVID. My staff goes weekly. Every week I always feel like victory when I get my negative. So I know it does get that piece of mind so there are things we can do while we're waiting. And it feels like a bit of an anxious time. Everybody wants to hop the line. I get that. But our time is coming really soon, really quickly, and it will be a well thought out play. One caveat on the testing. So UMass after this week is shutting down the community testing for a week because they're going to be welcoming students in, and so you can't really sign up for testing at this time that this is the UMass testing not the vaccine. So the testing, and they're going to reopen it and February 2, I think, when you'll be able to get testing it'll be a test testing availability on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays because they're requiring all the students to get tested when they come back and then quarantine for four days and then get a second test and they need their entire capacity to handle the students coming back. I was just about to mention that Paul, thank you. Good. And if anybody's interested in what the site looks like I have a video on my Facebook page the town of Amherst senior center I went there and you can see the layout, the signage the covert ambassadors so it's it's really well thought out. And I've had a number of seniors who saw the video and signed up for testing this week. So, good. I saw you down there last week. Yeah, I have to say that I've been getting tested there weekly as well and it's just been such a smooth so easy smooth process. So, okay, so this is another good question that we've got previously sent to us, someone who can't physically leave their house to get the vaccine how how will they get the vaccine will a nurse come to their home. Any advice around that scenario. So I know that there are a number of different conversations going around right now trying to strategize around that, including Cooley Dickinson healthcare, the visiting nurses program there as well as us on the community level. So I don't think there's a specific solution just yet but I know that many of us in in the health specialty are thinking about that because certainly we don't want them to be missed. So more to come with that. And certainly when there's a plan I think there might not just be one plan but there might be a number of different strategies and solutions that people could be accessed from. And from the senior perspective, our organizations and groups of poor advocacy have been lobbying around this from the get go because we understood the unique considerations with regard to vulnerability and frailty that would be part and parcel of this effort to vaccinate the numbers of people. So I can tell you the Executive Office of Elders Affairs is involved in this discussion of the Massachusetts Councils on aging we've had a number of meetings, and I've also spoken representative Dom who's been in communication with the Secretary of Health and Human Services around the unique issues and making sure that they are all aware of it and making some intentional plans. So, more to follow. All right, so we are getting close to our 30 minutes I'm just going to take this opportunity to prompt the room again any of our live attendees, which I see many of you. Feel free to use this time now to ask your question Q&A function or raise your hand and zoom star nine from the phone. And I will mention this is being recorded, we will post it as soon as possible in case you want to share it with any family friends or neighbors. And I will take a quick chance. Oh, here's a here's a question coming into the room. Thank you for all the information from Ludmilla. Thank you for joining us. Is this our biggest turnout. I don't think it's the biggest but it's it's definitely up there for live attendance so it just goes to show that this issue is really timely and topical important to everybody. Let's see, do we have another question in the room, not at the moment. I will take a quick second to say that. Emma, Paul and myself as well as some local clinicians and doctors will be working to set up a an info session that will be specifically on the vaccine and hopefully we'll have more information by the time in the first week of February we don't have the date yet but we will release it through all of our regular channels that you've probably even heard about this meeting for so just keep that in mind that we are setting up a specific session for vaccines as well. So if you want to see the phone number that ends in 9379 with their, with their hands so I have invited you into the room please unmute and introduce yourself into on. Yeah, there you go. Oh, hi there. My question relates to the number that was given 2593038 to get on the robocall list. Is that exclusively for Amherst residents or is it available for other towns. You can you can sign up as well. The, the senior services here routinely services what we call the Amherst area over 26% of our individuals who have come for classes are from out of town. So you can provide your name and number and we will certainly include you. Relative to the rollout for people 75 and above the state website says that people 75 and above will be in phase two, step one, whereas others 65 and older will be later on down phase two is that still your understanding. Yep, that's still the understanding thank you for those extra details there. And I know that every day the state of Massachusetts is evaluating the vaccine rollout. So like Mary Beth said, earlier with the going to the mass.gov. When can I get the COVID vaccine checking that website Tuesdays and Thursdays for those updates. Just keep looking back frequently and often. It seems to be pretty useful UMass the UMass website has a way to register for the vaccine. How is that different from the prep mode or I could I didn't quite get the wording that you indicated that website was called. Yeah, so the website is actually for the state is I am. I'm a immunizations.org, but we have our own link on our town website and that you can search for public clinics however I want to ask everyone to pause and be patient and wait for the phase two distribution to start because there aren't any sign ups right now available for phase two vaccine sign ups. So the UMass site they're just using a different technology platform for their documentation and their sign ups unique to them outside of the state. So, but most of us on the local level are using that MA immunizations.org site. Okay, thank you very much. It's been very helpful. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you for your questions. No problem. Alright, so we are down to our last minute. Of course we happy to go more if there's some more live questions from the room and while I give that prompt. I want to be able to give a chance for both Emma and Mary Beth to kind of leave us with a call to action or some information that they feel is important to share that they haven't been asked yet. So why don't you start Emma. Yeah, I just I am so excited for all the work that we've already done in my two months that I've been in this role. It's a very exciting time to be in public health and, and I just really want to thank everybody for their enthusiasm with the vaccine, all of their just how everybody is reaching out and being supportive at this moment and we're happy to do the work. Mary Beth. I want to give a call out to what I call her as super dragon. So, you know, if people knew what it took to stand up a vaccine clinic, you would be nothing less than erecting a statue to her and the center of town. It's a phenomenal to watch the town emergency management team come together and pull this off being here in Bang Center, I just stand in deep admiration and respect in regard for her skillfulness and putting this together in a moment's notice so so really the town is so fortunate to have Emma here. So I just want to make sure that that she receives that as someone who's watched the whole thing from scratch, come to live and then here is my challenge to you all so we talk about a new day. Well, I want to challenge all of you to to stand up and to rise up and what that really means is we have a campaign in Massachusetts called reach out MA so it's hashtag reach out MA. And what the basic premises is to reach out to a senior citizen. So we can sit here all day and talk about all kinds of formal systems that Emma's trying to work and channels and organizations but what we know is that the true strength of any community is how we care for one another. And I challenge every resident in the town of Amherst to make a contact with a senior we almost know at least one senior, check in on them and not just once but check in on them periodically, and particularly around the vaccine if you hear that the vaccine is available. Check in with your senior ask them, do you need support, do you need help, do you need a ride, how can I help you do you need some assistance in signing up, because when we help one another that's when we are at our best and our strongest and I think that we have 5173 seniors in this community. So those are those individuals identified as each 60 and older, and we've got to get them vaccine in a hurry. And so I'm asking for everybody support and challenging people to just reach out through kindness and compassion. Just one person is what I'm asking for. That's great Mary Beth thank you. I like that she's dropping the mic now. So we did get one last question come into the Q&A before I let Paul have his have his last say, when will our teachers be vaccinated. If anybody wants to grab that before we wrap. Yeah, teachers are included in phase two distribution of vaccine so they will be included at right at that next phase at the beginning of February with the mass roll out. Great, thanks Emma. Again, you can find all of this information or links to this information from our COVID vaccine page AmherstCOVID19.org slash vaccine. Paul, did you have anything you wanted to say. Yeah, just to build on what Mary Beth said, well first challenge accepted Mary Beth and then in terms of Emma working. What was gratifying to me at the at the site was seeing our paramedics are firefighters, working with our school nurses and with our health under the leadership of our health director, and then even had the police department their the COVID ambassadors they're helping to educate you know help people get nowhere that if they're in the right place or not in advance so there's a real team effort and you know we had a meeting this morning about getting ready for the next phase and where we are you just so that everybody's on board, you have a really strong team and leadership of the town and we're working on getting everything lined up so when that when that vaccine is released and that's sort of the limiting factor right now we don't have the vaccine if we had it, it's going into people's arms that's what our mission is. And so when when that comes available, we're ready to go. That's a that's a great wrap up Paul I appreciate you tying all those things together. And thank you all for joining us today, and we will put the information out there for our info session on vaccines first week of February will share that widely and feel free like you said to share this with a senior and reach out. Brianna.