We know that you may still have many questions about COVID-19, especially as more people are testing positive. We hope that you will use the information below to make decisions about vaccination, testing, and COVID-19 care, and continue to take steps to keep yourself and others as safe as possible.
Thank you for choosing Bosston Medical Center and the Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center for your care!
Where should I go for urgent care?
Same or next day in-person and telehealth appointments are available at BMC for new and established Pediatrics, Adult Primary Care, Geriatrics, and Family Medicine patients. Please avoid a visit to the emergency room and call us first for minor illnesses and injuries such as low-grade fever, cough, earache:
- Adult Primary Care: 617-414-5951
- Family Medicine: 617-414-2080
- Pediatrics: 617-414-5946
- Geriatrics: 617-414-4639
Reminder: You can send your doctor non-urgent medical questions through MyChart. Create your account today.
Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine booster? Who is eligible?
COVID-19 vaccine boosters are now available for children ages 12 to 15. Children in this age group can schedule booster appointments at all BMC community vaccination sites, or walk-in. Parent or guardian consent is required for anyone under the age of 18.
We recommend that everyone over the age of 12 should get a vaccine booster dose if they got:
- Two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago
- One dose of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine at least two months ago
Can I get a digital version of my vaccine card?
If you have the MyChart app on your smartphone, you can download your COVID-19 vaccination records to your health wallet or other app. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the MyChart app and log in to your account.
- At the home screen, click the QR code in the top left corner of your screen.
- Scroll to the bottom of the COVID-19 page and click “Download/Export.” You’ll see two options to share: “Download as PDF” or “Export to Health Wallet.”
- To add to your Health Wallet, click the second option.
- Three informational pages will pop up explaining the Health Wallet. On the last page, click the green “Export” button.
- When exporting, a bar will come up with options. iPhone users should click the Health Wallet app icon (white square with heart). Android users should click on the app where you want to store your card.
- For Health Wallet, click the blue “Add to Wallet and Health” button at the bottom of the screen. Your vaccinations will then be added.
What type of mask should I be wearing now?
The Omicron variant is very contagious, and we encourage you to wear a surgical mask in indoor public spaces whenever possible. However, any type of mask is better than no mask.
When you come to BMC, you’ll be given a surgical mask. All patients, visitors, and staff are required to wear a surgical mask in all campus buildings. Please wear this mask over both your nose and mouth at all times (unless your doctor asks you to remove it), to help keep everyone safe.
If I test positive for COVID-19 at home, do I need a PCR test to confirm?
No. If you tested positive with an at-home test, you should assume you have COVID-19, especially if you have any symptoms. Please stay home and isolate. Do not come to get another test to confirm a positive at-home test.
Learn more about COVID-19 testing.
I tested negative for COVID-19 at home but had a COVID-19 exposure or have symptoms of COVID-19. What do I do?
If you test negative but had a COVID-19 exposure, you may need to quarantine. Currently, you do not need to quarantine if you are up-to-date with vaccinations or had COVID-19 within the last 90 days. Learn more about when to quarantine and what this means on the Centers for Disease Control website.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 but test negative with an at-home test, you should get a PCR test or test yourself at home a few days after the first negative test.
How long will it take to get COVID-19 test results from BMC?
Due to the volume of testing, our current turnaround time to send results is approximately 72 hours. Results will be sent via MyChart when they are ready. Please do not call BMC to ask for your COVID-19 testing results.
BMC does not offer rapid testing for COVID-19, including in the Emergency Department. Also please note that we are only able to offer testing for current BMC patients.
Does BMC offer monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19?
Monoclonal antibody treatments are being given with extremely limited availability at BMC. Priority is being given to patients who are severely immunocompromised. If you think you may qualify for monoclonal antibody treatment, please talk to your doctor.
Due to high demand, you cannot refer yourself for antibody treatment, and we are unable to call all patients referred for monoclonal antibody treatment by their doctors.