For those of you having problems scheduling a vaccine appointment, you should register here:
Basically, whenever a vaccination site has leftover vaccines that they would otherwise have to throw away, they reach out to those on the standby list. Looks pretty cool.
I saw this on the NY Times website, so I imagine the list is getting longer fast.
Giving out a shot like this seems like it could have logistical problems. When you get your first shot, the facility offering the shot is making a commitment to having a 2nd dose available for you of the right kind on the right day. (That’s why so many 2nd shots have to be given at the same location where you got your first shot.) If you get an impromptu shot like this, that can get difficult to be sure of.
Now I suppose that this would work for giving out 2nd shots. They could announce that some left-over [Pfizer]/[Moderna] are available, and anyone needing a 2nd shot of the right kind on exactly that day (maybe ± a day?) could get it. But those people would already be schedules for their 2nd dose where they got their first, presumably.
hidrb. com
Who is this drb?
You should certainly check to be sure you’ll be able to get a follow-up shot, if one is required. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is one shot, so if you get that one, you’re done.
I know from a work colleague’s experience that, if you get an unclaimed dose at Walgreens, they’ll prioritize you getting your appointment for your second dose, which you can schedule in advance. (First shot appointments seem to only get scheduled 2 days out.)
I imagine most places administering the vaccines schedule the second dose when the first is administered. You should just be stepping into the shoes of a no-show, essentially.
Yes, I think the provider works with you to set up the second shot (if needed). Also, the second shot doesn’t have to be done exactly three or four weeks out. I read somewhere (I can find a cite if you want) that said it can be up to six weeks out.
Too bad standby doesn’t work out for people who work normal business hours, on-site, are dependent on public transit, and cannot easily be reached while at work to be notified.
Has anyone heard of people actually getting shots through Dr. B’s list? I’ve heard nothing from them, and haven’t heard anything about people hearing from them. But I’ve heard of people getting shots by accompanying a friend and getting an unclaimed shot, and by getting pulled out of the checkout line by a store pharmacist. I’ve seen advice to hang out at pharmacies at closing time. All of those seem like less effort for the pharmacists, so I’m wondering if Dr. B’s list is actually working.
I haven’t heard, but most people I know have their vaccines.
Dad got a notification from them, but he’d already gotten his shot and so declined it. (I pushed him to go get one as soon as he was eligible.)
I signed up, and will let y’all know how it goes.
I signed up with them ages ago, and just got a text today, for the first time. I have already been vaccinated. They asked me to reply “1” if I was still interested, and “2” if I wasn’t. I replied “2”, and two hours later they said that as I hadn’t replied in 2 hours, they were removing me from the list, but if I wanted to be reinstated, reply “3”.
So… I dunno if it works.
Vaccine availability, at least in NJ, no longer seems to be a problem. They just expanded available to all adults on Monday and my son was able to get an appointment for today – he said there are lots of appointments available.
I’m concerned, because not even 50% of NJ has been vaccinated, and, with still millions to go, why are they so easy to get?
Yeah, i have the same thought.
I just got a text from them saying a dose was available. But it’s now pretty easy to schedule in my area, and I’m already vaccinated. I wonder if this is something that sounded like a good idea, but in practice was not more efficient that other ad hoc methods that the people with unclaimed vaccine came up with?
I know that the major vaccine sites near me used their own methods for unclaimed doses, and didn’t talk to DrB. At least, CVS, the hospital where I got mine, and the local mass vax sites all had their own things.
Yeah, it’s a piece of cake to get a shot now in NJ now, too. Scary, because there are millions of people still to go.
Yeah, I think this didn’t work out. I signed up for Dr B quite a ways back. Never heard from them and now I’m getting my 2nd vax today and there’s appointments everywhere near me (SF Bay area).