By Joanna Stern
Me: "Hey Siri, refresh the pharmacy websites until there's an
available vaccine appointment within 50 miles, then book it as fast
as robotically possible. If you can't do that, sound your loudest
alarm to get my attention."
Siri: "I didn't get that. Can you try again?"
Alright, maybe I got a bit overzealous after Apple announced it
is making it easier to find Covid-19 vaccines.
Can you blame me? As I detailed in a column a few weeks ago, in
many states getting a vaccine appointment is an experience
somewhere between Vegas poker and the Hunger Games. The combo of
poorly designed websites and scarce appointments will make you wish
you could simply stand on a line 15 miles long, on a freezing cold
day, no snacks in sight.
The big tech companies now are pitching in to help with a small
part of the struggle: finding the vaccine locations. Earlier this
week, Apple and Facebook joined Google in offering some new
tools:
-- Apple: In Apple Maps, you can now search for vaccine
locations and see local results plotted out. You can even ask Siri,
"Where can I get a Covid vaccination?" But that just prompts you to
open the Maps app to see the results. Each location has an info
card with the store address, hours, phone number and a link to the
website. The information comes from VaccineFinder, operated by
Boston Children's Hospital, but Apple will also vet submissions
from other providers for possible inclusion in its database.
-- Facebook: Located in the Covid-19 Information Center of your
Facebook app, you can now find a vaccine-location search tool, also
powered by VaccineFinder. On mobile, tap the three lines in the
bottom right, select See More and tap "Covid-19 Information
Center." In a web browser, click See More on the left toolbar and
it should be listed. Facebook also launched an information center
on Instagram, with information about vaccine eligibility among
other resources.
-- Google: Google Maps has offered search for vaccines since
late January. In the app, search for "Covid vaccines" and you'll
get a list of locations offering the vaccines. In addition to
contact information and their hours of operation, there is
eligibility information. When you search Google proper for "Covid
vaccine," you will be taken to a vaccine page with a breakdown of
how many doses have been given in the country, recent news and
other information.
It's helpful -- sorta. Those tools tell you where shots are
being given, but they don't tell you if doses are available or let
you book appointments, which go faster than a plate of free samples
at Costco in the before times.
My previous column and video provided lots of specific tech tips
and tools to help with that, specifically for booking at pharmacies
such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. I'm thrilled that since
publishing, I've heard from dozens who have successfully booked
appointments using those tricks. To those who have written to say
it's insane that we need tricks in the first place, I couldn't
agree more.
I've also continued to book appointments for friends and family
across the country and have learned a few more things along the
way. Here they are:
Facebook Groups are your best friend. I never thought I'd say
that, but no resource has proven to be more useful than Facebook in
this process.
Members of local groups post as soon as they see new
appointments, and generally answer questions. In a number of them,
they'll post when the pharmacies are live with a bunch of new
appointments.
Not every city or state has a group, but the ones where vaccines
are harder to come by -- Florida, Oregon, New Jersey, Philadelphia
-- can be very active. For instance, moderators in the New Jersey
group post screenshots of CVS openings almost daily at around 5 to
6 a.m. (That's around the time CVS usually drops new openings. See
my original article for information on appointment release timing
for the leading pharmacies.)
Inside a Facebook group, go to the Discussion tab. Where it says
"New Activity," toggle to "Recent Posts" so you're seeing the
latest first and can jump on appointment availability.
Important safety reminder: Be on the lookout for scammers. Don't
pay anyone to make an appointment for you, and don't share highly
sensitive info, like Social Security numbers and passwords. Also,
misinformation about the vaccine is all around Facebook. When
looking for information about the shots and side effects, check
trusted news and medical organizations.
Try Find A Shot . This site, started by MBA student David
Newell, has become one of my go-tos for searching pharmacy
locations in a specific ZIP Code. Unlike the tools from Apple,
Google and Facebook, this site also lists availability -- or at
least it tries to. Things can move so quickly that sometimes the
information on the site can be outdated.
Still, I keep the site open, which refreshes on its own every
four minutes. Then when I see an appointment available, I
automatically launch the pharmacy website (and make use of those
tips from my previous column).
Search for specific vaccines. I've had a few people request that
I book the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine for them. If you're
interested in getting a specific shot, you'll have to do more
legwork.
A good place to start is VaccineFinder, the Boston Children's
Hospital site used by the big tech companies. When you search by
ZIP Code directly through the website, it tries to look for the
type of vaccine offered at specific locations.
When it comes to the specific pharmacy sites, the info on
offered vaccines varies. CVS specifies the type of vaccine
available during the online booking process but only when slots
open. (A company spokesman says each location offers just one type
of vaccine.)
Rite Aid doesn't specify the type of vaccine, so I'd suggest
calling the store to find out what it might have. Other chains I've
seen give you the option when you sign up. For example, ShopRite's
online booking system lets you sign up for either the single-dose
Johnson & Johnson or the two-dose Moderna.
Try for a leftover vaccine. Some vaccine locations have unused
supply at the end of the day or have no-shows for appointments.
Instead of these going to waste, services are popping up to get
them to people struggling to find appointments.
One service, called Dr.B, works with local providers. Sign up on
the website with your phone number and some other personal
information, and it may alert you if there are extra doses in your
area. It's likely not a way to skip the line, however. When you
finish your registration, you get a text message saying, "We
prioritize extra doses based on local government criteria &
your order in line." Also, you'll need to act fast when you get the
text saying a shot is available.
Vaccine Hunter is another group with a similar mission. It has
worked to set up different state-based Facebook groups, which scout
and alert others of open vaccine appointment and excess vaccine
availability. Check out the groups for more local information.
--Portions of this article previously appeared in the WSJ Tech
Weekly newsletter. Wait, you haven't subscribed yet?
Click here
to do that right now.
Write to Joanna Stern at joanna.stern@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 18, 2021 08:14 ET (12:14 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024