News Coronavirus News COVID-19 Vaccine Basics Guide COVID-19 Vaccine Basics Guide Distribution Timeline Vaccination Sites Cost Safety Side Effects Where Will I Be Able To Get the COVID-19 Vaccine? By Korin Miller Korin Miller is a health and lifestyle journalist who has been published in The Washington Post, Prevention, SELF, Women's Health, The Bump, and Yahoo, among other outlets. Learn about our editorial process Korin Miller Fact checked by Fact checked by Ashley Hall on December 19, 2020 linkedin Ashley Hall is a writer and fact checker who has been published in multiple medical journals in the field of surgery. Learn about our editorial process Ashley Hall December 18, 2020 Share Tweet Email Print Joe Raedle / Getty Images Key Takeaways Plans are in place to offer the COVID-19 vaccine in a range of locations.Each state has slightly different plans and regulations for where the vaccine can be administered.Many areas will allow vaccines to be given at pharmacies, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and even dentist’s offices. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is being currently being administered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities in medical centers across the country. But as more vaccines become available and the rollout expands to more groups, it’s expected the vaccine will be offered in more areas. If you’re not in this first group of the rollout, it’s not time for you to get vaccinated yet. But, in a few months, it will be. So, where will you be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Here’s what you need to know. As availability of the vaccine increases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that vaccination will be expanded to more groups. Initial framework issued by the CDC, which has not been made official, also says that the next phase of vaccination will include adults with underlying conditions that put them at a high risk of severe COVID-19 disease or death from the virus. That includes adults age 65 and up. Where the Vaccine Will Be Available As of right now, the vaccine is only available to high priority groups at major medical centers, but that’s expected to change. Exactly where the vaccine will be available in your area largely depends on where you live—each state and territory has its own operational playbook that dictates where the vaccine will be offered. While there is variation from area to area, there are some common threads. In general, you can expect that the COVID-19 vaccine will eventually be available near you in the following locations. How Will the COVID-19 Vaccine Be Distributed? Your Local Hospital This is where vaccinations are mostly taking place at the moment. Many major medical centers have the capacity to efficiently store the Pfizer vaccine, which requires very cold temperatures, infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Verywell. “That’s important,” he says. As more vaccines become available, you may be able to walk into your local hospital to get vaccinated without an appointment during certain days, similar to how your local medical center handles flu vaccinations. COVID-19 Vaccines: Stay up to date on which vaccines are available, who can get them, and how safe they are. Your Local Pharmacy or Grocery Store The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has formed partnerships with large chain pharmacies and networks that represent independent pharmacies and regional chains to provide access to the vaccine anywhere pharmacists work. “Pharmacy vaccinators are crucial public health partners for increasing access and convenience of COVID-19 vaccines,” the HHS says in a press release, noting that “many pharmacists and the interns and technicians working under their supervision are trained to provide immunizations and are already important immunizers in their communities.” COVID-19 Vaccines Will be Available at Your Local Pharmacy Your Primary Care Physician’s Office The American Medical Association (AMA) says that physicians will play a key role in administering the vaccine. The AMA is urging physicians to have a communication plan in place now to encourage patients to get vaccinated and to remind them when their second dose of the vaccine is needed. They’ll also need to have supplies ready, like personal protection equipment, needles, syringes, alcohol prep pads, and vaccination cards that are being assembled to accompany the vaccines delivered to vaccination sites. An Urgent Care Center or Walk-In Clinic Vaccines are already being offered in clinics in the U.K., which approved the Pfizer vaccine before the U.S. “After an initial rollout to hospitals, the vaccine became available at local clinics,” Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, tells Verywell. “There is every expectation that this will also happen in the United States.” Your Dentist It seems unusual, but several states have opened up the possibility of having dentists administer the COVID-19 vaccine. “We have a need for vaccinators,” Adalja says. “It is important to bring in people who have medical training in this, including dentists—they administer injections all the time.” Halkitis says using dentists to administer vaccines is a “particularly smart idea,” adding that it may even create less anxiety for people who don’t feel comfortable going to a hospital, pharmacy, or their primary care physician to get vaccinated. Overall, experts say vaccination is what ultimately matters. “It doesn’t really matter where people get their services, as long as they get their vaccination,” Halkitis says. What This Means For You Once the COVID-19 vaccine is more readily available, you should have a range of options for where to get vaccinated. Check in with your local health department or call your doctor if you’re unsure of where to go. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Robeznieks A. What doctors can do now to be ready when COVID-19 vaccines arrive. American Medical Association. October 23, 2020.