Confirm the same drug, Pfizer or Moderna, is available. Many sites only stock one of them.

Ask the place where you got your first shot. They'll need to make the appointment for you.

call your county public health nurse

I doubt it. Everything about my two shots says once you start you finish--which is why I wondered about the people in such a hurry they were traveling over hill and dale to find a site that had extra, so would take even those outside the roll call parameters. This event is a logistical nightmare from the get go. Adding multiple places you receive your shot only adds to that. Be sure and let us know what you get told...it is all computerized so the record keeping isn't the issue it's getting your paired dose to the new site.

I know of people who had their 2nd doses in a different location but you must have the same brand of shot. But it may vary by state. If you are in NY as your handle suggests, try calling the NY state COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).

This seems like a question to ask someone who knows .

Annie's suggestion is the best.

As I understand it, from a news story about this NOT happening properly, when a provider gets supplies, they get two shots per person. So they set aside a dose for your second shot.

Before we got our first shot, we were told that if we could not schedule the second shot at same location on a certain day, then to schedule differently. So I get a second shot on 3/31, they set aside that supply for me. Not on 3/30 or 4/1.

In Texas you have to get the second shot at the same place that you received the first. My DH was in Rehab after a 6 week stay in the hospital, it was a rehab-nursing home. He was put back into the hospital right before the scheduled day for the 2nd vaccine. He tried to get the 2nd at the hospital where they were giving the vaccine to anyone that was signed up for their online patient portal. They would not give it to him even though they would not let him leave the hospital to get the 2nd shot at the rehab. Then the storm hit here in Texas that shut everything down. He ended up going back to the rehab for his 2nd shot but it was 7 weeks after getting the first dose.

I think jane lives in Florida. I'm not sure why the logistics and requirement of having two visits weren't considered before scheduling the appointment for dose #1.

Since they would not actually HAVE the second shot when you got your first one what they set aside is the assigning of the second shot to you when they get the actual vaccine. That can be changed easily. Talk to someone from the health dept. There are all sorts of reasons any individual would not be able to go to the same injection site. I am sure there is a fix for your situation. do it as soon as possible.

I certainly hope so. Hope the second can be scheduled at a place other than the first. My SIL and her husband have been in Hawaii the last 4 months. The age requirement there had been 70 all along and they are just shy of 68. They got their first shot on Friday, are coming home the 1st. We'll have about a week and probably just a few grace days to line up their second Moderna here when they are back.

A friend of mine did. She had the first shot at a very inconvenient Walgreens.

They gave her a number to call and she was then given an appointment for a local Walgreens for her second shot.

I took my mother Saturday for her 1st shot, about an hour away from home, pleasant drive to this location. When I got appt on CVS site for her, 2nd shot was automatically scheduled for her

Same experience as SushiPup - when I had my first shot, I was told I the date/time I had to return to the same place to get my second shot. I was told if I couldn't make that date/time they couldn't give me the first shot and I would need to reschedule.

My understanding is that this is related to the supply and ensuring they have enough second doses for everyone at exactly the right time.

I am in New York and got my shot through a state-run clinic. It may be that those of you getting them through commercial ventures (Walgreens, etc.) may have much more flexibility.

"As I understand it, from a news story about this NOT happening properly, when a provider gets supplies, they get two shots per person. So they set aside a dose for your second shot."

That statement certainly doesn't apply to Northern California! Here, providers were specifically instructed to NOT hold back supplies for second doses. As a result, approximately 90,000 people had their appointments for a second dose canceled because of a lack of supply of the vaccine. My younger sister and I were two of the 90,000. Thankfully, additional supplies were received, and both my sister and I were able to get our second doses on the originally scheduled dates.

During the period of time between finding out that my second-dose appointment had been canceled and that it had been put back on the schedule, I was frantically trying to find a place where I could get my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. There is a website (https://vaccinefinder.org/) that covers the entire USA. Not all states report full information to them, but it's worth a try. They have info on all three vaccines currently approved in the States (Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J). You can indicate which of the three you're interested in. You can also indicate if you need to schedule both first and second doses, or just the second dose.

Another site to try is https://curative.com/ - This site is much more limited as far as locations go, but it does cover the greater Sacramento area, which is what I needed. It says it has info on "Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Antonio, San Francisco, Washington DC +more." Even if your area isn't one of those that I just listed, it's worth a try. (After all, it doesn't say Sacramento, but it has info on a mass vaccination site in Sacramento County. San Francisco is 100 miles away.)

When offered my first vaccine I was given the option (in the email) of responding:

1. I am confirming the appointment

2. I am unavailable at this time

3. I Decline, No Longer Interested/Needed

As the date for the second dose approached I was given these options:

1. I am confirming the appointment

2. I Decline, No Longer Interested/Needed

So it looks like it would have been easy to decline the second.

I suspect the problem would have been scheduling the second somewhere else?

My site (the fairgrounds) wasn't far but for me, it was the most stressful part of getting the shots.

If I had been given the choice, CVS, Walgreens, whatever would probably have been a bit easier.

I just got my second today so... I'm glad it's over. :)

Our second shot was delayed but just by 5 days. No vaccine. Weather delayed. It was around the time of the last big snow storm on the E coast, just after the second week of Feb. They had no vaccine with which to give us our second dose, but kept in touch. We should have had it on a Wednesday. The following Monday they called and said it had been delivered. We could come the next morning, or right then if we were free. We left and drove there, choosing 'right then'.

I believe that in this state, yes you can go elsewhere; you just have to make sure that the second shot is the same maker as the first. In fact there was a news story the other day encouraging people in urban areas to try to schedule in some of the more rural towns & counties, since they weren't using up their vaccine allotments as anticipated.

Thank you all. We now live in Florida (never changed my user name because it got too complicated!)

The vaccine website here is a mess. My husband is 88, I am 72. It was a nightmare trying to find a place to get a vaccine for both of us. I signed us up everywhere I could starting in early February and they always filled up. As more vaccines became available I was hopeful but couldn't get us in.

Our neighbor who is my age, found a site in Miami and decided to drive there, 4 hrs away. My husband is not in good health and I didn't want to drive that far. Our daughter lives in Connecticut with her family and was getting upset that we couldn't get a vaccine.

She flew down and sat up many nights signing us up all over the place and finally got us in a few places, the closest was a Winn Dixie supermarket, about an hour away. She said, "we're going."

At that point, my husband was in the hospital so she took me. I had never been to this place before but I got the vaccine. Now she's gone and I am supposed to get the second shot (Moderna) on April 1st.

I have no one to drive with me and will have to rely on Google maps on my phone. I'm not great using that. My daughter was a pro using it. I'm not!

My husband got moved to a nursing/rehap facility and a slot opened for him in Sarasota (where we live). I am not permitted to visit him but they agreed to let me drive him for his shot. I did with no problem as its was a large park and a drive-in site.

I would prefer to get my second dose somewhere i know since I will have to drive alone. My second shot will be April 1st at that Winn Dixie supermarket. I really dread going alone. My husbands second shot (at the park) is a week later. I was hoping maybe I could get my second shot there or somewhere closer to home.

I don't know how to navigate this. I don't know who to call. The park place where i drove my husband was run by FEMA, not through the State. It was so efficient and quick and you just sat in your car.

Anyway, I'm sorry writing such a long, drawn out story, but I haven't seen any info about changing locations. Just wondering if anyone else ran into this problem.

Thanks so much again,

Jane

First, Try calling your county health department. And ask. You’ll have to be able to tell them if your first vaccine was Pfizer or Moderna. Sarasota county vaccination hotline - 941-861-2883

if they can’t help...

the FEMA sites allow walk ups (drive ups) without an appointment. If it’s close to you, drive over a couple days before April 1 and see if they will give you your second dose. Take you vaccination record card.

OR call the Winn Dixie pharmacist where you got your first shot and ask if they will transfer you to a closer Winn Dixie.

OR ask almost any pharmacist.

Good luck.

eta: this link (Orlando)

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/01/20/you-dont-have-to-get-2nd-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-at-same-location-as-1st-health-officials-say/

“News 6 learned that people are not required to get the second dose of the vaccine at the same location where they got their first shot.”

Hi Jane,

Sorry to hear that your husband is now in rehab, hope all goes well!

I looked up Winn Dixie, and they have dozens of stores giving vaccines throughout Florida.

How did they confirm your appointment for the first shot? Did you get an e-mail? I ask this because Walgreens (my vaccine provider) sent me a confirmation e-mail for each vaccine date.

The e-mail included the option to EDIT or RESCHEDULE my appointment. I'm sure Winn-D must be doing the same thing with such a big undertaking.

Please look for a confirmation e-mail. If you did not provide an email address, did they call you to confirm that first appointment? If yes, just wait til they call you again to confirm shot #2. I'm sure that's the only way to contact them (I checked the website....no luck there).

Good Luck!

In Wisconsin, we were given an app't for both doses when booked for the first dose. Returned three weeks later for the second dose as scheduled.

My friend in AZ got her first dose at a civic center vax location but no app't for the 2nd dose. When I was down there, we were able to get her an app't at WalGreen's...but she ended up getting an email the next day to return to the civic center for the second dose. She was a couple of weeks 'overdue' for the second shot & was getting a bit frantic trying to source it. All worked out in the long run.

So, it appears to be dependent on where you live. She was advised that both doses needed to be from the same mfg.

From the Winn Dixie Covid portal:

Please note: vaccination appointments can only be made online at this moment. Appointments cannot be made by calling Winn-Dixie or the Winn-Dixie pharmacy.

Jane, get your daughter on board. Publix will take appt for a second shot. Cvs is also expanding locations.

morz8, thank you, thank you. That is fairly close to me, much better than the other place.

honibaker. I tried signing up there and no matter what date I put in it says filled. Doesn't tell me what dates are available.

How frustrating...

Maybe I'll ask my daughter to get back on-board and see if she can find somewhere to get my second shot. She's in Ct. but i suppose the internet makes it possible.

Thank you all again, I truly appreciate the help,

Jane

Jane, Publix. Mondays and Fridays at 7am, get several tabs/windows open. Doesn't matter where your daughter is, she can get online for you.

Jane, my friend (in AZ) was advised to check the Wal-Green's vax portal every morning at around 6 am for an app't. Was told that slots open up only as vaccine is delivered.

Not FL & not Winn-Dixie, obviously, but likely the same circumstances.

again ... call your county public health nurse.

Does the "vaccine finder" work?

https://vaccinefinder.org/search/

You can select which vaccine and max distance.