topic Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine in Community Chat

Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Jordan2 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:47:10 GMT

I live in New York and am now eligible for the vaccine. Going to a pharmacy will be the easiest for me. Anyway I have tried booking an appointment at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Rite Aid to no avail. You must make an account at all the websites, they make it seem like sure, we have appointments available, but they have nothing ( there isn't even an option to book for a week or two from now). I think it will only get worse as more people will become eligible for the vaccine in the coming weeks. I really hope by May I will get vaccinated.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

scatcat — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:04:26 GMT

For me, it was like a 2 week part time job to find an appt. I can only speak for my booking with Walgreens. Stay logged in and hit the refresh button a lot. Also, expand your zip code area. I heard they load appts at 6 am. My husband searched for 1 day. I guess it's "right place right time". Also check pharmacies for left over shots they have to get rid of.

Good luck. I feel like a thousand pound weight was lifted off my shoulders when I got it. And that I'm a small part of the solution makes me happy .

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Biftu — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:05:20 GMT

I had been searching for a vaccine since the beginning of February. Every morning I checked all pharmacy web sites, registered with four hospitals, three counties, called my doctor and local hospital weekly and got nowhere. Finally my doctor called and I got my first shot yesterday. From my experience and what I heard from others, contacting your doctor is your best bet. It was the most frustrating experience. Yesterday I ripped up my long list of web sites and phone numbers and threw them in the trash. I have my mornings back! Hang in there and be persistent and it will happen.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

NicksmomESQ — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:13:16 GMT

@Jordan2 I live in New York too, on Long Island. I was able to get DH & then myself appointments. No matter what I did I couldn't get an appointment at any pharmacy. They just don't have the quantity of vaccine that the state sites have.

I was able to get appointments at StonyBrook which is a state site. My friend & his mom got appointments at Jones Beach, also a state site.Are you able to get to the Javitz Center? That's a 24/7 state site. If you're persistent you will get an appointment.Also you can call the state vaccine number.It may take a while to get through but just keep trying. They can help you get an appointment at a state site like Javitz.

Good luck!!

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Trinity11 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:18:40 GMT

@Jordan2 wrote:
I live in New York and am now eligible for the vaccine. Going to a pharmacy will be the easiest for me. Anyway I have tried booking an appointment at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Rite Aid to no avail. You must make an account at all the websites, they make it seem like sure, we have appointments available, but they have nothing ( there isn't even an option to book for a week or two from now). I think it will only get worse as more people will become eligible for the vaccine in the coming weeks. I really hope by May I will get vaccinated.

Living in New York, I had the same problem @Jordan2 until I realized that Walgreens and CVS have openings at MIDNIGHT. Also try different zip codes besides your own. Another issue are second appts. There was a glitch the day I got my Moderna vaccine and I was never given a second appointment. I spent hours calling Walgreens with no help at all from them. I then tried CVS and I am scheduled for April 2nd. I found that appointment at midnight.

Good luck!!

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Trinity11 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:36:24 GMT

@Jordan2 Just wanted to add that Facebook has different groups that exchange info and can even help you set up an appointment. I am on Long Island and the sites are by county. HTH

Also Northwell Health have appointments if your physician is in the system.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

NicksmomESQ — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:40:27 GMT

@Trinity11 wrote:
@Jordan2 Just wanted to add that Facebook has different groups that exchange info and can even help you set up an appointment. I am on Long Island and the sites are by county. HTH

Also Northwell Health have appointments if your physician is in the system.

@Trinity11 @Jordan2 Very true so does NYU Langone if you have a doctor in the system. My DH got an email from his doctor to schedule an appointment but he already had an appointment.I went on their scheduling site & they have many appointments available in NYC, Queens & Brooklyn.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Wild Rose — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:43:47 GMT

I live in Maine so I can't speak to the NY process, but I will tell you that I went on my local Walmart website at 3 AM in the morning and found lots of available slots on one specific day that was a week away. I had tried during the day a few times and found nothing, so I figured maybe the appointments "refresh" overnight, and I think I was right. You might give this strategy a try! Good luck!

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Porcelain — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:46:04 GMT

I'm sorry it's frustrating you @Jordan2. I hope you get your appointment asap too!

Update for anyone who wants to know: The elderly, mostly housebound family member I was worried about just got her first Pfizer shot yesterday. I'm so glad for her.

I wasn't involved, but I heard it took half the day to get her there and get her vaccinated. There wasn't any way to get the shot to come to her. She had to go to the same medical location my mom did. But it's done! And apparently she's not experiencing any side effects. Shot number two early next month.

And DH and his father, both fully vaccinated now, went out for lunch at a restaurant yesterday. And they finally got to hug each other again at the end. So great.

I'm a fan of keeping trying.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

chickenbutt — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:55:47 GMT

Yeah, 'keep trying' is the key at this point for some areas. I worked on this yesterday and even went to Walgreen's, where my husband got his first shot, and the guy said that they are having shortage issues so they are saving for second shot folks. I totally get that, so I'll just have to keep waiting.

Meanwhile, he does have an appt for his second so I just hope that goes as expected.

I have gone online and no appointments at this time.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Alter Ego — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:04:52 GMT

Being from Chicago, I wasn’t going to post. However, people have commented on Facebook groups and that was the sole reason I was able to get both my mother’s and mine. I learned that Walgreens (in my area) released appointments at 6am for three days out and Osco (which you don’t have) released on the weekends for the following week. I would have been looking at midnight and randomly during the day and be frustrated. My FB feed was full of their posts however and it was overwhelming - but I only needed to join for a week. It was so helpful and I would recommend if you have something similar in the area.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

DiAnne — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:23:46 GMT

I live in the Seattle area and my doctors office emailed me with instructions, a link to the scheduling site and a code to use. That was all I needed. I don't get my second dose until next week because my appt was postponed twice because of lack of vaccine.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

PA Mom-mom — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:38:37 GMT

@Jordan2 Have you tried Dr.B.? You will have to register, and then you will receive ads from their advertising partners, but you will be registered for leftover vaccines in your area. I don't know if it works, but I read about in respectable newspapers.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

reiki604 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 20:26:48 GMT

It you have Facebook, there are Covid information and vaccine information groups. If you join them, there are people who can help you navigate the jsystem and notify you abuot pop up clinics etc.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

pitdakota — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 21:16:09 GMT

Hang in there @Jordan2! You have received some really good tips so I hope that will help.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Buffalogal47 — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 21:30:31 GMT

@Jordan2 I also live in NY State and I agree, the way the vaccine rollout has been done here is awful. I tried for a month and a half to get an appointment and finally was able to book one for both shots at Walgreens. I finally had my first shot last week and have the 2nd one scheduled for the beginning of April. Don't give up; you have to try every single day at different times. Early AM is best. I don't know how CVS, RiteAid, or Walmart are handling this, but Walgreens wants to book appointments for the 1st and 2nd shots together. If they don't have enough 2nd dose appointments available, they won't just schedule the 1st dose by itself. Just hang in there, you'll eventually get through. Try the NYS sites also. They will schedule you for your second shot when you get the 1st one.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Stray — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:33:55 GMT

I live in NJ but we get NY news. I went into a website I saw advertised on the NJ news channel 12 here called NJ1. But there is a website “vaccine finder ny” or something like that. I was looking for my friend who lives on the lower east side. I found many openings then. I can’t remember the exact name but you can Google it. I was successful for her and she got number 2 this week. It’s a challenge that’s for sure.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:38:55 GMT

Persistence is the key. I became available last Thursday and I attempted to get an appointment first thing in the morning with various drug stores. I did not have to create an account though with any of them. I was put in a queue with most of them and had to wait 30+ minutes only to get a message that all appointments were gone. Walgreens told me immediately once I put my zip code in.

In my area we can go on the county health department website and all of the places they will be administering the vaccine pop up. There were 3 or 4 places and when I first checked they were all full. Right before lunch last Thursday I checked again and one had opened up and I was able to get an appointment for the next day. I also noticed 2 other sites had been added and they too had openings. I was also very easily able to book an appointment at a mass vaccine site that started yesterday in Cleveland. I ended up canceling that when I got an appointment closer to home.

I do feel for those who cannot sit there all day and try and get an appointment. I really just lucked out. I'm a little concerned because they did not schedule my second vaccine when I had the first. I was told I'd get an e-mail to book 7-10 days prior to when I'm due which is April 9th.

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

Stray — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:40:46 GMT

@Jordan2-

Try vaccine finder.nyc.gov.

I just tried and found openings in my friend’s zip code for lower Manhattan

Re: Trying To Book A COVID Vaccine

SeaMaiden — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:41:27 GMT

You just have to be very persistant and keep hitting the enter key over and over and over.... I did it pretty much full time for about three days and found myself and DH openings.