Here’s how you can increase your chances of booking a COVID-19 vaccine appointment
Many people want a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s probably one of the most talked about pandemic topics since pandemic bread-making.
Vaccination appointments are hard to come by, and the journey to book a slot can be filled with anxiety, hope, frustration, confusion. There are some tips and tricks to try. And while we can’t guarantee you’ll get an appointment, the advice below will likely help increase your chances:
Tips to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida
1. Florida recently started a statewide online and phone system to help book appointments for seniors 65 and older, front-line healthcare workers, long-term care facilities and anyone with a health condition that makes them “at risk” of falling seriously ill with the disease.
Anyone who pre-registers is put on a wait list and will be notified when slots become available at state-run vaccination sites including Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Marlins Park in Miami and Vista View Park in Davie.
Those who don’t qualify for the vaccine yet can subscribe to be notified by email, phone or text when they’re eligible. The system is optional, which means not every county will be using it. Miami-Dade and Broward are on the list and Monroe is expected to be added soon. The new website is myvaccine.fl.gov. You can also pre-register by phone.
For Miami-Dade, the number is 888-499-0840 or TTY 888-256-8918. For Broward County, call 866-201-6313 or TTY 844-252-2003. For the Florida Keys, call 866-201-7069 or TTY 833-990-2908. For Palm Beach County, call 866-201-6754 or TTY 833-476-1532.
Miami-Dade County has also launched a similar website and phone system that will allow healthcare workers with direct patient contact and Florida residents 65 and over to be placed on a wait list. And yes, this means qualifying healthcare workers and seniors in Broward and the Florida Keys are eligible.
Anyone who pre-registers through Miami-Dade’s new system will be notified when slots become available at county-run sites including Tropical Park and Zoo Miami. Those who don’t qualify for the vaccine can still sign up to receive updates about the vaccination rollout. To get on Miami-Dade’s wait list, visit miamidade.gov/vaccine or call 305-614-2014.
2. Besides the new centralized systems, there are different appointment hotlines and websites for hospitals and pharmacies like Publix. Save the phone numbers of your preferred locations into your phone’s address book and bookmark the websites.
It will make it easier for you to call and check the website every day. Make a point to check it at different hours because you never know when a slot will open.
3. When booking an appointment online, fill out only what’s required. Speed is key here.
4. If you’re helping a family member or a friend get a slot, make sure you have all the information you need, including date of birth, the correct spelling of the patient’s name, address, phone number and email. This will help speed up the process.
5. Check with your church, synagogue, or mosque to see if they have any plans in the works. Jackson Health System, Miami-Dade County’s public hospital network, for example, began collaborating with more than 50 houses of worship in Miami-Dade County to help reach seniors in underserved communities who may have challenges with technology and are unable to secure an appointment online.
6. Check with your local commissioner’s office to see if there is anything in the works, and if there is, ask how you can get on the wait list or receive updates. Jackson Health last month, for example, gave Miami-Dade County’s 13 commissioners and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s office a limited amount of vaccine appointments they could give out. Commissioners had mixed reactions to the idea, so it’s unclear if it will happen again. Miami City Hall has also begun vaccination efforts in the community such as setting up vaccination pods at senior facilities and creating a mobile vaccination program for homebound seniors to be vaccinated. If you live inside Miami city limits, you can find the contact information for your elected official at https://www.miamigov.com/Government/City-Officials
7. Follow Twitter accounts that post appointment availability in your county and set up notification alerts. This way, every time the accounts tweet, you’ll be notified with a ding on your phone. In Miami-Dade County, for example, two accounts posting updates are Jackson Health System (@JacksonHealth) and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella). And if you need some help, don’t be afraid to recruit family members in your vaccination search.
Some Facebook groups like South Florida COVID-19 Vaccination Info also post appointment availability information.
8. Look for patterns. Getting an appointment is like winning the lottery: You never know when it will happen. But some places do open slots on the same day or around the same time. Publix, for example, usually opens slots on Wednesdays and Fridays early in the morning. For now, Publix stores in Miami-Dade and Broward do not offer vaccines. Jackson Health System tends to announce appointment availability between 8 a.m. and 8:55 a.m., though the days vary. At night, it’s been announcing vaccine slots between 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Another good tip: Get on the websites immediately to increase your chances of snagging a spot when the portal opens.
9. Check for appointments in neighboring counties. A Florida resident in Miami-Dade or Monroe, for example, can get the vaccine in Broward County or vice versa.
10. Try incognito mode on your device. Some online blogs say the feature can help people book Disney vacations, and according to Slate, one woman used the feature to secure multiple vaccination appointments in New York state. Will it work in Florida? Who knows, but it’s worth a shot.
And finally, even with all these tips, be patient. More vaccination sites are expected to open across Florida as vaccine supplies become more available, and eventually, pharmacies like CVS, Walmart and Walgreens will have vaccines in stock, too.
Miami Herald staff writers Gwen Filosa and Joey Flechas contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 12:37 PM.
