Doses of the third federally approved COVID-19 vaccine have begun arriving on Cape Cod.
Today at noon, Barnstable County is opening 1,200 appointments — 600 per day — for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for next Tuesday and Thursday. The clinics will take place in the gymnasium at Cape Cod Community College.
Appointment booking is through the state website, maimmunizations.org.
This week, Dr. Andrew Jorgensen, chief medical officer at Outer Cape Health Services, said he welcomes the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a way to protect more people from COVID-19.
“This vaccine promises to be very helpful in vaccinating hard-to-reach individuals, such as those living in rural communities such as ours,” he said. “And we also expect many benefits for other hard-to-reach populations, such as the homeless communities.”
And it’s not solely for hard-to-reach populations, he said. He said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is highly effective and has been tested in diverse populations, and he would trust it for his own family.
The clinics next week at Cape Cod Community College will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
They are open to individuals who meet the following criteria: Phase 1; age 65 or older (including the previously eligible 75 and older); people who have two or more of certain medical conditions; and residents and staff of low-income and affordable senior housing.
Barnstable County officials said that because soon-to-be eligible educators (K-12 faculty and staff, early education, and childcare workers) are not eligible to register until March 11, they will not be able to participate in these clinics. They may register for future clinics starting on March 11.
In addition, the Barnstable County clinics do not give the vaccine to caregivers who accompany someone age 75 or older. Those are provided at mass vaccination sites, the nearest of which are at the former Circuit City in Dartmouth and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
Patients are asked to arrive no more than 15 minutes early.
Barnstable County suggests that when looking for appointments at maimmunizations.org, people should not enter the date or any other search parameters — rather, just keep scrolling to the clinics.
These clinics are organized by the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment.
Cape Cod Healthcare is running clinics at the same location, but they are operating separately.
