North Country of NY here, my husband was fully vaccinated over a month ago (school employee), I got my first shot this week, second scheduled 28 days out. I went to a state run site and it was quick, efficient and staffed with providers from our area hospitals and the nursing students from the community college, who were doing a great job greeting, helping and spreading joy by congratulating everyone who got a shot. I booked an appt on Monday and got the shot Wednesday, I heard today there are 500 spots open for the weekend. Our area is over 40% vaccinated (first shot) and I believe they’re going to open it up to 50 and above next week, already front facing workers, those over 60 and anyone with a comorbidity is eligible. I felt so grateful and damn near exuberant after my shot, bring on part II.

It’s not too bad in my area of Florida at this time. On March 15 th age 60 and up qualified. My first shot is Tuesday at a CVS down the road. My husband has had both his shots but went to the next county.

A friend in Tarpon Springs said she had a great experience at the nearby FEMA site.

Dh just qualified bc he has an immune condition. He got an appointment at a little country pharmacy about an hour away, and I drove him bc he wanted to work/do conference calls. Anyway, I was sitting with him while he filled out paperwork, and the nurse asked where my paperwork was. I told her I was just with DH, I didn’t have an appointment. She said someone didn’t show up, did I want one? I said, “yes, please!” 😊 She asked if I had kids. I said, “yes.” She said, “good, you are a caretaker.” 😂

I honestly think they just want to get these shots into people. The area we went to is much more rural than our urban county, and I think there might be a bit more hesitancy there, hence why dh could get an appointment so quickly. I feel very fortunate and slightly guilty, but my friend’s dh who is a dr said that EVERYONE that gets a shot helps all of us so I felt a bit better.

Nini - I don't think you should feel guilty. You weren't gaming the system - just in the right place at the right time to use an appointment slot that would otherwise have gone unfilled. I agree with your friend's DH - an unfilled appointment is a wasted opportunity to get everyone vax'd as quickly as possible.

Nini, I agree, don't feel guilty. My friend who had a kidney transplant was not vaccinated until last week. Her kidney dr. worked to get her vaccinated. Some of the dialysis clinics were giving vaccines to their patients and she was able to get in there. As the technician explained to her, each vial contains 10 vaccine doses (this was moderna, I believe) and has a 6 hour window once the vial is opened. After that, it is no good. So I am sure the vaccine sites would rather give the vaccine to someone who may not meet guidelines YET, rather than throw away a dose.

I changed my appointment. My husband and I are both going to a pharmacy Tuesday for our first dose of Pfizer. I was going to a drive-in event and was a bit concerned how that might turn out. Since I made my appt., the age limit dropped so my husband is able to get the vaccine now so we both have appts Tuesday AND our second appointment has been scheduled.

Nini, I agree you shouldn't feel gulity since you did nothing at all to circumvent rules. You simply accepted the offer and the opportunity, and it's great you are on the way to immunity!

Unless it's a J&J shot, they have to discard unused vaccine once it's out of cold storage, so I would definitely not feel bad at all about not letting it go to waste.

How it started:

I hope to read this soon and feel sheepish-actually that would make me feel GREAT because I'd be reading it as a vaccinated person LOLOL

How it's going:

The day after I posted here, I was able to book an appointment online for a shot (Pfizer) at CVS on Monday, the first day I was eligible. Had a brief glitch when I showed up with CVS not realizing the age eligibility had changed that morning but did get vaccinated after the manager okayed it.

Since I wasn't sure things would work on the first day, over the weekend I was also able to book a back up appointment at Publix for Wednesday. Per the FAQ there was no way to cancel, ("There is no need to cancel. Simply don't arrive") but I actually got a call from the pharmacy on Wednesday asking why I didn't come to which I apologized and they said no problem.

On Thursday I got a message from my doctor's online chart system that they are now offering vaccinations with a link to book an appointment for Friday.

Last night I got a phone call(!) from the county to book an appointment based on signing up for the wait list.

Wishing everyone else a sheepishly quick vaccination appointment!

I'll be eligible on March 29th due to a medical condition, not age. I've noticed on vaccinespotter.org that there are quite a few appointments available in my area at Walmart and Walgreens currently going out to around March 26th. So I would think that in the next few days they may have appointments available for March 29th. I just don't know if their system(s) will accept me, because they ask age, job, and other eligibility questions, and if I answer honestly I think that the system will kick me out.

I checked the online portal for my medical group, and was able to schedule an appointment for my first shot on April 12. One of the questions was about being in an eligible group, and there was a choice of two responses - yes or I'm not sure. I chose I'm not sure, and it let me schedule it.

Somehow I never knew that the FEMA sites would be short lived.

Starting next week, no more first doses will be given at the FEMA sites here (Tampa area). They will remain open to give 2nd doses to those who need them.

They were a temporary measure that worked well until more doses were made available at other outlets.

https://www.bradenton.com/news/coronavirus/article250045894.html

I’m in MD where none of us in my family qualify until Phase 3, which is when it opens to everyone starting 4/29. It is not easy to get an appointment here, unless you are willing to drive 2-3 hours to the rural parts of the state.

My daughter in San Diego where she is a college student qualified a few weeks ago due to her part time job. Since she didn‘t have the time to be searching for an appointment I told her I would do it for her. To my surprise, the very first time I tried, I got her appointment for three days later at a Walgreens 10 minutes from her apartment.

My son is in school in NY and found out two days ago that because he has an on campus job working in the classroom with his professor/advisor, he was eligible to get vaccinated. A mass site had just opened yesterday, but by the time he learned he was eligible, the soonest appointments were all booked. We were easily able to get an appointment for him, but it is not for three more weeks. I could probably search around at various pharmacies and find something sooner, but he does not have a car so we had to schedule around his/his roommate’s class schedule (his roommate is taking him). Just easier to keep the one he has.

Kind of funny (or not) that my 20-something kids are able to get vaccinated before me and dh, in our early 50s. In fact, my 16 y/o might even be eligible soon due to her P/T job but since she can only get Pfizer, it will be harder trying to find an appointment for her once she is eligible.

@4kids4us I would LOVE for my college student and Hs student to get vaccinated!! They are so much more “out there” than dh & I! I feel like they are walking vectors, lol.

I think I qualify on Monday, as I work in higher education, and this group just became eligible apparently in my state. I've not actually been following because I've been exposed twice in the past 6 months and am not in a rush to be vaccinated until we learn more about the variants.

What are you wanting to learn about the variants @Feathers11? The vaccines are effective against most of the variants currently here. There is some reduced efficacy, but they still prevent serious disease and death.

I agree nini. It's important to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and if variants are an issue they should come out with booster shots to cover them. That's one the great things about the mRNA technology - it enables them to create vaccines to target new strains and viruses very quickly. The "formula" for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were created within weeks of the genome of the virus being sequenced.

Nini, only that I'm not in a high-risk group and have already been exposed, so don't feel the need to be vaccinated against the original strain for my own health. I still follow all the protocols to prevent spreading. I'm willing to wait to see how the variants play out. Johns Hopkins is not definitive about the original vaccines' protection against the variants.

Got my second one February 18th!

My husband and I have appointments on Tuesday for our first dose. Our appointments are 15 minutes apart. When making the appointment, it also schedules your second appointment. Yesterday evening my appointment was confirmed, then cancelled about 4 times. ??? This morning my second appointment was confirmed, but I have no first appointment. No changes with my husband's. I finally got someone on the phone, she was very sweet and asked that I just show up with him, and my confirmation email (my first one LOL) and they will make sure I get a vaccine. Obviously some kind of glitch with the system!

Unexpectedly I got an invitation to my first shot -only within 5 days since my registration. I was in pain from my dental surgery just a day before yet still reacted fast))

So I'm already back , it was today, and was Phizer. And I look like a chipmunk that holds a nut behind its cheek, and am full of antibiotics and whatnot.

I had a little reaction right away, tightening of throat and fast heartbeat, but as i had something similar already with a new pill in January, when I just started it-I reminded myself of that. And tried to calm down. Frankly also downplayed it a bit when they asked how I'm doing, knowing my strage reaction to substances. Did tell them I'm a bit queasy which was also true.

They were very kind and gave me Gatorade to drink (as I'm also avoiding eating and drinking after all that dental work, that doesn't help either)

Big line, otherwise nicely organized, for whoever in OC-the appointment was in SOKA

I have my crossover appointments in my clinical trial--April 21 and May 12. They have been given the go ahead to start April 20. So, by memorial day weekend I will be good to go.

It was a real struggle even for folks in the high risk group in my small rural town up until a couple of weeks ago. It just opened up for those of us over 50 in MI and I thought I would have a similar situation with it taking weeks to get in. Amazingly, I waltzed right in to the registration site, and was able to book whatever time I needed at my great convenience. Small victories. Meanwhile, my state is becoming ground zero for case and hospitalization rates, and my 89 year old father is again being encouraged to travel and visit with lots of folks, by people not following the science. Oh well. He's been vaccinated so that's the best I can do . . .

Here in TN, next week vaccines open to everyone age 16+. We are ahead of the May 1 goal date, but I am not sure the percentage vaccinated yet.

Can't get one here so stop waving your free donuts at me please! :P

Even if I'm vaccinated, nobody in this household is getting into out until our more-at-risk-but-too-young-to-have-a-vaccine-approved-family member is vaccinated.

(I'm happy to wait. I just wish those who are already vaccinated would not act like they are free and clear just yet. The current data don't support that...)

Florida opened to 50+ and I luckily booked and received first dose yesterday.

No, unfortunately. New Mexico has a large population of Native Americans who, sadly, seem to be much more likely to get very ill from Covid. Thank goodness the CDC is focusing on getting them immunized along with health care workers, teachers, etc. But, it seems that people like me, older but in good health, will have to wait a lot longer. While I’m anxious to get mine, as we want to head out soon on another RV trip, I’m okay with that. In the meantime I’m taking all the necessary precautions while waiting my turn.

I'm getting my first "jab" (as the Brits call it) later this week. I've been on the wait list for 23 days, but only recently did my age group become eligible. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the facility I'll need to go to is a very short drive from my house.

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned upthread, and I have no idea how this works in other parts of the country, but in my area of north central Texas, I know a few folks who called around to Walmarts and CVS/Walgreen Pharmacies and asked to be put on the "wastage wait list." It has resulted in somewhat spur-of-the-moment availability, but is otherwise a viable means of ensuring that as much of the vaccine is used as possible during a period when it's still viable. You just need to be capable of getting to the pharmacy within an hour or so.

Texas is opening to all adults next week, but we are lagging behind in the percentage of people vaccinated. I hope we keep getting more vaccine and more places giving it.

I read, today I believe, that NM has the highest percentage of population vaccinated of all states. If that is the case, however the population is being prioritized, you're getting the job done efficiently.

Shockingly my state opens up vaccinations to everyone starting tomorrow. I have an appointment scheduled later this week. At some outdoor exercise this week I was happy to learn that my friends in their 60s and 70s have been fully vaccinated. Looking at some of the charts, our state is consistently in the worst group (9.6% fully vaccinated, 21.7% one dose). With the state opening vaccinations to all, I am confused. It makes me wonder if a high percentage of the population is not signing up.

Part of the opening up to all adults is in response to the President saying he wanted all states to make the vaccination available to all by the end of this month.

^^^ Not the end of March, but May 1st.

My state, Michigan, just opened to my age group (50+) two days ago on Monday. On Monday I got online and scheduled an appointment today for my J&J vaccine at one of the local grocery store chains. I found out about this opportunity from a local Facebook group that was set up to match people with vaccine opportunities. I have read these groups cropped up all over earlier this year, so if you are on FB and need a vaccine, you might check there. I'd search "Vaccines My Area" or Vaccine Hunters or something similar. There is one thing FB is good for! ;)

@IdaClaire yes, as I posted earlier about my friend with the transplant who had her vaccine earlier - they do not want to lose vaccine doses. She was told each vial of the vaccine (she received Moderna) held 10 doses. One the vial was opened, the life of that vial - all ten doses - was six hours. We received our first dose yesterday - although we got Pfizer. The pharmacy actually called us a few hours before our appointments and asked if we could be there within an hour. They had some people not show up (which I cannot understand), and did not want doses to go to waste. I have to give a shout out for Walgreens - from the signing up for an appointment, to the first dose experience, etc. was absolutely well done. We were not on a wait list, I was able to go-online and sign-up for an appointment the first time I tried (actually 2 appts.) and the time frame was less than one week. We had no waiting at the pharmacy, everything was explained to us and then we were given our shots. Bonus is that neither of us had side effects. I woke up this morning raring to go LOL!! We are hopeful we will do as well with our second doses. Very thankful to have this process started.

Had my first dose yesterday and it went OK, although I felt a bit lightheaded and very tired afterwards, but the fatigue could have had more to do with work stressors than anything else. I feel fine this morning, but the arm is a bit sore. I will be eager to get my second dose, but also dreading the potential side effects. Oh well ... this too shall pass.

NC opens up to everyone 16+ on 4/7. First part of Group 4 opened 3/17. I got my first shot on 3/19 at Walgreens. Had to drive 60 miles one way to get it, but I was headed that way anyway, so it was not a big deal. Second part of Group 4 opens 3/31.

Just announced in MN today that anyone over 16 will be eligible starting March 30. Glad we are already scheduled. DH got his first dose last night and I get mine on Sunday - YAY! I was surprised how happy DH was about finally getting it. He's not terribly emotional about anything but he was clearly feeling a big ray of hope about better days ahead. It was pretty easy to get scheduled through our primary care clinic. Once our cohort was eligible we were soon notified we were randomly chosen and to go ahead and schedule. I thought I'd be searching vaccinespotter for some remote location and driving hours to get it - nope, right at the clinic.

I heard that there were a lot of spots for 2nd doses at a nearby mall. We were scheduled for April 1 but last night we were able, every easily, to move it to this morning. Done.

I am taking everyone on a surprise vacation next week. So glad that DH and I are vax'ed. Not yet for the kids, but none of us go to work or school so we are not exactly vectors. I've never done that before (a surprise) but it was totally on a fluke and I got a good deal. I don't think I could keep a secret longer than a week!

What a fantastic surprise! That's one way to take advantage of a pandemic. Will you tell them before you leave or make them wait until the last moment? We were only able to pull off a surprise like that once years ago and it was just 5 days in NYC. DH told the kids to pack a bag and to include clothes suitable for dinners out. He booked limo, theater tickets and dinner reservations. The kids were much younger than yours at the time - middle school and high school but they loved it.

That is so cool!!! They are going to go nuts!

I'm having fun misleading them about what they will need or won't need to pack.

Last night I asked my daughter her hat size. She said "why?"

Long pause.

Then I text back "oh that's ok, never mind." Tee hee

DH doesn't even know. I changed all my passwords so no one can look on my phone, laptop, tripadvisor, etc.

For those who have made appointments at Walgreens - did you receive a confirmation email? I was able to make an appointment for Monday, but haven't received an email. I did print out the confirmation with conf#, and I can see my appointment on the Walgreens site, but I thought that it's strange not to receive a confirmation email.

@terezosa / terriks we got our shots at walgreens. They were on top of it - but there was some kind of computer glitch. I had to set up appointments for each of us using a seperate email address. I got my confirmation and then cancellation - about 4 times. LOL The Mr got confirmations and no cancellations. I called the store and they were SO nice. Told me to come on in with him. Which I did, no problems. And, I still have confirmation of my second appointment. It never cancelled that one. (You scheduled 1st and 2nd appt. at the same time.)

It's strange - here in our area, once I got on the website, I could have gotten a vaccine the very next day - or at least within two days. I have not heard of waiting lists other than I believe some of the dr's offices got lists going before they received the vaccines. Probably to ensure they would use the doses. There are very few dr's offices with the vaccine though.

Terri, not Walgreens, but I never got a confirmation from my vaccination place. I just confirmed it by looking at the website. I just got my second dose!

i am very happy to hear you got scheduled! 👏👏👏

Just got today at Walgreens. I did receive a reminder yesterday regarding my appointments. Received Pfizer.

Thanks tina, Marlene and cmm. I might give the store a call to make sure that I am on the schedule.

My husband isn't eligible yet, but I got one of the last appointments for the day, and he will go with me and hopefully they will have had last minute cancellation or something. 🤞

Two- three weeks ago, I read on nextdoor that people drive 1-2 hours away to Santa Cruz or Sacramento to get the vaccine. But recently, no one has mentioned it. Now, they're opening on April 1st for 50+ y/o, and 16+ y/o on April 15. CVS refreshes their site at midnight. Out of curiosity, I looked online last night after 1230am and there were shots available about 45 min from me but not til next week. I already had my 2 doses in Feb as I am a healthcare worker. My husband just has to wait til April 15th.

I finally got the confirmation email, so I don't have any anxiety about getting my shot now.