COVID-19 FAQ: Protecting our families and communities

COVID-19 FAQ: Protecting our families and communities

Coronavirus: Información en español ►

This page includes public health resources in multiple languages that can be shared with immigrant and refugee families; relevant information on immigration policy and enforcement; and other valuable resources, including details on key programs that sick or displaced workers may need. We will do our best to keep this up to date.

 

​​Vaccine Information

Important Information: If you or a loved one are sick or know you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus, don’t hesitate to get tested and treated, regardless of your immigration status or insurance coverage.

• ALL Massachusetts residents over the age of 5 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of immigration status. Click here to find an appointment.
• ALL Massachusetts residents age 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster six months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Click here to find an appointment.
• There will be NO immigration consequences for seeking COVID-19 testing, treatment, or vaccination. 
• Testing and treatment for COVID-19 related services will be covered by MassHealth Limited; and testing and treatment for COVID-19-related services provided by hospitals and community health centers will be reimbursed by the Health Safety Net. 
• The COVID-19 vaccine is available to all at no cost.

Resources:

• MIRA factsheet  about the vaccine for immigrant and refugee families available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese. You can also download these flyers and shareable social media graphics here.
• Watch and share these  short videos  from the Protecting Immigrant Families campaign that dispel immigration-related fears about the COVID vaccine Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Haitian Creole, English, French, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese
• Vaccine Multilingual resources on vaccine safety and vaccine FAQ from Mass.gov including questions about immigration, available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Albanian, Arabic, Cape Verdean, and Russian. 
• Multilingual videos developed by Boston Medical Center explaining how the vaccine works.

COVID-19 health resources, insurance coverage, and mental health resources

In Massachusetts, ALL residents who are tested and treated for COVID-19 will be covered, regardless of insurance or immigration status. 

• Find a COVID-19 testing site near you in Massachusetts.
• Boston residents: Find a city location distributing free COVID-19 take home tests here.
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) –; Spanish-language resource hub; multilingual toolkit for Migrants, Refugees, and Other Limited-English-Proficient Populations
• Attorney General’s Office multilingual COVID-19 resources 
• Mass. Department of Public Health COVID-19 resource hub, including printable handouts in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole and Vietnamese
• MassHealth and COVID-19 – guidance for patients and applicants, including info for those lacking insurance.
• City of Boston COVID-19 resource guide for immigrants, with materials available in Arabic, Cape Verdean, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish and Vietnamese
• Community health center information from Mass. League of Community Health Centers, with guidance on how to access care and English/Spanish “find a health center” tool
• Roundup of multilingual resources gathered by Switchboard (excellent and comprehensive)
• Dept. of Mental Health Multicultural Mental Health Resource Directory
• NAMI Massachusetts Mental Health Resources– click “Translate” in lower left corners for languages

Coronavirus-related immigration policy and enforcement updates

• Immigration authorities have stated clearly that there will be no enforcement at or near vaccine sites. It has also issued new policies limiting enforcement actions at protected locations and worksites.
• Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) overall guidance, also in Spanish. You can find information about ICE check-in procedures here.; 
• U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services COVID-19 updates , also in Spanish. In person interviews and appointments have resumed at USCIS. 
• COVID-19 information for immigrants (Mass. Attorney General, part of a comprehensive guide) – also in Spanish and in Portuguese
• The Boston immigration court is now open. See the latest on operational status.

Resources for employees and employers  in Massachusetts

• The Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition has released Equity Principles for Workplace COVID-19 Vaccine Policies & Safety Practices, available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole
• The City of Boston has implemented vaccine requirements for some indoor spaces. Learn more here.
• Know Your Work-Related Rights During the Coronavirus (FAQ by Justice at Work), also in Spanish
• Guidance for Employers and Employees during COVID from the Attorney General’s Office,also in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese.
• Information about reopening of child care centers, and tool to search for emergency child care. 
• Earned sick time info and multilingual notices for workers (Attorney General’s Office); basic info only in English, but clear, easy-to-understand 1-page notices in English, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Khmer, Lao, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese
• Unemployment: multilingual resources, incl. Spanish-language guidance and claimant booklet in 12 languages and link to unemployment Insurance online portal, plus UI portal in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Chinese and Vietnamese
• Lawyers for Civil Rights unemployment resources in English and Spanish
• Emergency funds for workers (compiled by Mass Jobs with Justice), also in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese 

 

Housing concerns

• The Massachusetts evictions and foreclosures moratorium expired in October 2020. Attorney General’s Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights, and advisories in English and Spanish.
• MassLegalHelp COVID and housing page and tenant rights guide in Spanish
• Information for renters, including Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) and Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance Program (ERMA); find your local RAFT administrator by using the drop-down menu at the bottom of this page
• Resource guide for people facing housing insecurity developed by Northeast Legal Aid and adapted by Lowell Alliance.
• For more information on legal assistance, consult Eviction Legal Help or search for housing legal services organizations on the Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder
  

Food

• Project Bread Food Source hotline – help available in 160 languages to access food resources and apply for SNAP if eligible. Project Bread also has grants available for food service providers in 11 Massachusetts communities.
• This school year (2021-2022) all school meals are free for all students. 
• SNAP (food stamps) and cash benefits during COVID-19 – Mass. Legal Services resource hub, including a flyer on increased SNAP benefits.
• SNAP outreach partners in Mass. – organizations across the state that can help families with SNAP applications, especially when DTA and FoodSource lines are overwhelmed
• WIC– Nutrition assistance for everyone (regardless of immigration status) caring for a child 5 and under or expecting a baby- locations here

 

Cash Assistance, Relief for Businesses

• MassUndocuFund – special COVID-19 relief fund created by a group of grassroots organizations, now accepting donations and applications
• COVID-19 relief funds – compiled by Philanthropy MA
• COVID Relief Coalition – relief and legal assistance resources for Mass. nonprofits and small businesses
• Boston small business relief fund and Financial Relief: A Handbook for Business Owners (last updated 4/2020) detailed guide to federal, state and local programs from the Boston Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
• 413 Undocu-Worker Solidarity Fund – Western Mass. fund run by the Pioneer Valley Workers Center
• List of mutual aid organizations helping community members (compiled by Mass Jobs with Justice, with listings by city/town and special categories)
• Emergency Broadband Benefit and Lifeline Program– free and low-cost phone and internet service for eligible residents

 

 

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