# Vaccines.gov is useless **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 2, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376 "2021-12-02T16:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376/21 "2021-12-03T13:35:08Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > The logistics of taking appointments or making a webpage that tells you if any appointments exist _before_ you have to go enter all the info is not rocket science, > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > It’s not _just_ [vaccines.gov](http://vaccines.gov) that sucks; each site had their own system for checking appointments, some of them requiring creating an account. Absolutely none of them had a simple “check for appointments in an X mile radius” without inputting personal information. Combining these to show that, while not impossible, writing a system to connect multiple, disparate systems is not easy. I’d guess that [vaccines.gov](http://vaccines.gov) gets a periodic feed (weekly?daily (my bet)?hourly? (real time is highly unlikely)) from the major providers - which probably worked fine when there was a basic balance between supply and demand. Opening the doors to everyone for shot #3 and add in all the kids presumably shot that to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376/22 "2021-12-03T16:36:06Z")
I’m surprised that this is still going on. After reading the OP I checked the date assuming it was a 6 month old zombie, since it perfectly describes my experience trying to get the vaccine back in March and April. Now when I call my pharmacy I get an ad saying they all have vaccines and walk ins are welcome. Of course I live in a vaccine utopia ([99/9% at least partially vaccinated](https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-montgomery-county-vaccination-rate-20211019-uvjothnl6vazlezjhga3blmjve-story.html) baby! Gloat Gloat). So my experience may not be typical. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376/23 "2021-12-03T17:49:34Z")
In Northern NJ, I just walked into a giant old Sears (now a vaccine center), said I’m looking for a ModeRNA booster and walked right in. No appointments, no lines. Took about 25 minutes total, including the 15 minute post-shot monitoring period. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376/24 "2021-12-03T21:26:58Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Of course I live in a vaccine utopia ([99/9% at least partially vaccinated](https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-montgomery-county-vaccination-rate-20211019-uvjothnl6vazlezjhga3blmjve-story.html) baby! Gloat Gloat). So my experience may not be typical. It’s not that high here, but \>90% of the population in my county is _completely_ vaccinated. The issue is that the booster just opened up for the entire adult population and thus there’s high demand. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccines-gov-is-useless/955376.md?page=1)