8 Tips for Securing a COVID-19 Vaccine

While there are 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine available in the U.S., many people are having a hard time finding and signing up for their shots.

Only 21 million of us have received our first dose, leaving more than 300 million people unvaccinated. The vaccines are free to Americans but navigating the path to immunization can be tricky.

According to PBS, there are some guidelines to help you secure a vaccine, but be prepared to be patient, say experts.

1. Check all sources for possibilities. Start with your primary care physician who might have a list of available vaccination sites or might even have the vaccine available in the office, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC adds pharmacies, community health clinics, health departments, and even school and religious centers could be offering vaccinations. Many local pharmacies and supermarkets that house pharmacies are also potential sources. You may have to travel to get your vaccines, according to PBS.
2. Check online for documentation. Check The Wall Street Journal for a state-by-state guide that offers the information you need for eligibility rules and possible sites to get inoculated against COVID-19.
3. Cast a wide net. Sign up wherever you can qualify, says PBS. Look for notifications from health systems and universities about vaccine availability.
4. Have all your information ready. If you do get online to register for your vaccine, have your insurance information and medical history on hand so that you do not waste time and risk getting logged out of the system. Make sure you inform your vaccine provider if you have any history of allergic reactions. According to Newsweek, scientists say the vaccine is safe for people with common allergies to drugs, certain foods, inhalants, and other products, and they are unlikely to suffer a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction to the shot. People with any extreme allergies to the components of the Pfizer-Biotech drug should not take it, say healthcare officials.
5. Be flexible. You might not be able to get the exact time and date you want, as there are millions of people waiting to get their shot. According to the Palm Beach Daily News, some available slots are booked within 30 seconds.
6. Be patient. Experts say vaccine distribution is only going to get better in the coming months and the supply might increase as new candidates from AstraZeneca, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson approach the home stretch for vaccine approval.
7. Do not put yourself at risk to get the vaccine. Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University warns against scavenging for left-over vaccines or scooping in on missed appointments. "I worry about the potential for infection," she said, according to NPR. "How tragic would it be if you were to contract coronavirus while trying to get a dose of the vaccine?"
8. Help others if you can. Share information, sources, and tips with family and friends and be receptive to learn from others how they obtained their vaccine appointments. If you are technology challenged or there is a literacy issue, ask your neighbor or grandson to help you find a reputable vaccination site, says Dr. Panagos Galiatsatos, a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at Johns Hopkins Medicine, according to NPR.