For better or worse, the pandemic of 2020 has upended many things in life but also introduced some new skills for us. Working from home, gardening and now, signing up for your COVID-19 vaccination! I recently got my first Pfizer vaccination shot and it’s a great feeling that we might be getting back to normal really soon. Given the limited supply of vaccinations, they have been slowly rolled out in phases based upon risk and age developed by the CDC. I was in Group 4 in North Carolina due to my high blood pressure and I’ve never been so happy to have it! 🙂 
If you’re younger and healthy, you’ll more than likely be in the last group to be immunized and while the vaccination supply may be increasing, you may still need to pull some tricks to get scheduled. Understand the basics below:
One, the vaccination is FREE regardless of insurance coverage. They may ask to see your insurance card (and government ID) but the vaccination is free.
Two, each vaccination location will have an option or combination of vaccine types, the two-shot Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the one-shot J&J vaccine. In some larger, healthcare organizations you may get an option as to which specific vaccine you get.
Three, you can get a shot in any location available to you. Sign up wherever you can get an appointment based upon guidance from your county and/or state. I signed up with Wake County Public Health, a local hospital system and then ended up getting a shot at Walgreens when appointments became available. Research multiple options to get your vaccination scheduled. There are also public mass vaccination sites where you can do a walk-in or drive-in but usually there’s a wait involved.
After you take the shot, they ask that you wait around for 15 minutes to make sure there are no adverse reactions. You should be given some information on what to do if there are any issues.
To help you schedule your vaccination appointment, there are some anecdotal tips that I have learned. One, check during the early morning hours for new appointments. From midnight to 6am seems to be when new vaccination appointment schedules are loaded. Up late at night? Check to see if an appointment is available. Two, consider getting a shot in more rural/less populated areas. Demand for vaccinations are highest in the denser, urban areas of the country so heading out of town might be a good way to get scheduled for a vaccination. When I scheduled my vaccination, I was given two separate appointments for both shots.
No matter where and how you get vaccinated, it’s a relief and the right thing to do for your community. These vaccines have been tested in clinical Phase III trials with over 250,000 people before being released to the public so they are as safe as possible. And when we all get vaccinated, we can all get back to life as usual, good luck!