As the supply of vaccine increases over time, demand continues to rise more than is available in many places, especially in densely populated areas. People in big cities have compared the attempt to get a vaccination to trying to get tickets online for a concert of a very popular band. (Do you remember those days?)
Here are some tips to help you get fully vaccinated – and get your life back to normal for more than a year.
You almost always need an appointment, and your health department is a good starting point to make one. This CNN article contains links to all health department websites, along with phone numbers and email addresses that you can contact if you have any questions.
Another great place to start is at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Covid-19 Vaccine Seeker, or by using the portal to call your health department in your state or territory.
Vaccines that vaccinate also have their own scheduling websites. For example, the CVS website will tell you where vaccination is available. So if it is not available in your city, at the moment you are trying to make an appointment, it may be in a neighboring area.
You asked and we answer: your most important questions about Covid-19 and vaccines
Availability changes quickly, so if you find an available lock, discuss it before anyone else does. Make sure you cancel your appointment if you can not keep it so that someone else can get the lock.
Pharmacies also offer vaccine that is left over at the end of the day because people did not show up for their appointments, for adults who want it. A pharmacist at a Walmart in the Atlanta area recently said that all of his employees have been vaccinated, mainly due to remaining doses, and it is now being offered to others who are there at the right time. A Kroger pharmacy in the area said they keep a list of people who want to be called if there is any remaining vaccine.
Social media can be helpful. Facebook, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp, has recently developed a number of tools to help people get vaccinated, including the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center.
And of course, you can use social media sites to gather information. Look on Facebook for private groups in your area who are dedicated to finding vaccinations and getting vaccinated. Some people reported that their neighbors in the Nextdoor app helped them find vaccinations.
You may have to travel to get a chance
If you can travel, slots are almost always more available in rural areas when it is difficult to find in a city. In Georgia, for example, it can be difficult to get an appointment in the Atlanta area, but appointments abound for the next few days in the rural south of the state.
In announcing a federal program to send vaccine doses directly to pharmacies in addition to U.S. states and territories, White House Covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said pharmacies are “easily accessible in most communities, with most Americans who lives within five miles of a pharmacy. “
Admittedly, some rural areas do not have a pharmacy nearby, and residents may have to look for mobile vaccination clinics in their area. The recently passed U.S. rescue plan includes a national vaccination program that will fund mobile units for hard-to-reach areas.
The key is to be patient, flexible and determined. You will get an appointment sooner or later.
What to do while waiting in line to be vaccinated
So, now you have an appointment. You are so close to getting the first dose, or better yet, your final dose.
But what if there is a very long line of people as soon as you get there? Take a phone, tablet or laptop with you to avoid getting bored.
Other ideas include documenting your experience, or planning how you will use your freedom once you are fully vaccinated.
When was the last time you had such a crowd? Maybe you can use the opportunity to make a new friend.
You will find a long list of other ideas in this article.
Welcome to the club fully vaccinated
Do you have vaccinations? Congratulations! Go cuddle a grandchild. Press a friend who has been vaccinated. Invite friends who are fully vaccinated and visit without masks. Visit with others in their homes, as long as they are not considered particularly vulnerable if they were to contract Covid-19.
If you have been exposed to someone with Covid-19, you can skip the quarantine once you have been fully vaccinated.
If you are one of the many who have had Covid-19 and are still suffering from symptoms, some so-called long-term carriers report that their symptoms relieve or even disappear after being vaccinated.
As some have said, being vaccinated is a psychological game changer: you may feel that a weight has been lifted.
And who does not long to travel again? Some destinations are open to those who have been vaccinated.
Just remember, it takes two weeks after your last shot is completely vaccinated.
And do not just throw away your mask. You still need to protect those around you who have not yet been vaccinated. Although some studies indicate that people who have been vaccinated do not spread the virus, it is still not certain.
