For several months we worked to update this page with current info twice weekly. Most recent update: 5/30/2021 (previous update 5/7/2021)
To find out where to get the shot
- go to www.vaccines.gov
- call 1-800-232-0233
- text your zip code to GETVAX (438829) for English, or
- text your zip to VACUNA (822862) for Spanish
Everyone over 12 is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in PA.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that the department transitioned on May 7 to using Vaccines.gov as the mapping source to help individuals find a location where they can get vaccinated.
“Our goal is to make it quick and easy for people to get vaccinated...We know that some people may be looking for a certain brand of vaccine or want to know which locations have vaccine in stock. This transition provides the best information to Pennsylvanians who want to get vaccinated as we work to reach at least 70 percent of adults vaccinated.
"In addition, individuals can text their zip code to GETVAX (438829) for English, or VACUNA (822862) for Spanish and receive three possible vaccination sites in their area, with phone numbers to call for an appointment.” https://www.vaccines.gov/
Lewisburg Neighborhoods has been working with Union County Connects to compile our own version of the printable, non-interactive version of the Vaccine Provider list that the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition piloted to our north. Here is a list showing the vaccine providers for Snyder, Union, Northumberland, and Montour Counties. We have been trying to update twice a week. But we will re-assess to see whether how it may need to adjust with the federal vaccine provider list now operational.
The regional mass vaccination site in Centre County will probably change schedule over time.
Local pharmacy scheduling information may shift over time.
The locations with J&J vaccine have been restored to the table.
This shows the range of places you can go to get your vaccine appointments. Please keep in mind that they receive vaccine shipments intermittently and open up appointments to schedule shots for the doses available on a rolling basis. As a result, you might visit or call one day or at one time in the day and hear that they have no appointments, but they might have additional appointments the next morning. Lessons from earlier in the rollout include remembering to try at opening and closing times (including very early in the morning) and remembering to refresh your browser regularly in case new appointment slots have been posted since you last clicked through.
So, as of now, the plan looks like this: reach out to people you know who have not yet gotten around to getting vaccinated. It has been pointed out that men are less likely to seek medical care of any kind and therefore are less likely to encounter encouragement from their physicians to get vaccinated. Maybe some prompts are in order for the men you know? There is a gender gap nationally of 10% between women and men who are vaccinated, but in our region, it's 20%!
These sites may also be rendered obsolete at this point with the federal system in place, but just in case, as a blast from the past, keep them in mind:
While everyone is now eligible, remember that there are still people who want to get vaccinated but have been waiting for it to get easier. You could help them with that whether by offering to sign a neighbor up online or checking in with them and either emailing or printing the current vaccine provider list for them to use themselves. Or even just encouraging them to take advantage of the opportunity. They may be hesitant or reluctant and just a friendly conversation would be enough to alleviate their concerns. The federal public health messaging campaign out of the Department of Health and Human Services, entitled We Can Do This, has recommendations for how to approach such conversations. They suggest strategies related to the practice of Motivational Interviewing.
It may also help to know that you do not have to pay to get vacccinated. It is available free to all. The vaccination site may still ask for your insurance card and take your information if you have one, but you will not be charged. In addition, free transportation is available through Rabbit Transit (800-632-9063). Arrangements do need to be made well in advance (as in a day or more ahead). For seniors still needing to make an appointment, you can also direct them to the Union-Snyder Area Agency on Aging (1-800-533-1050 or 570-374-5558).
Remember we're all in this together and the goal is immunity for the community. Each individual vaccination is part of the key, but not the entire solution. Even for individuals, you must of course get both doses (for Pfizer and Moderna) and then wait an additional 14 days after your second dose for it to kick in. And even then, we still need people to continue masking and distancing in public. You won't know the status of people around you (and in this area, they may be more likely than in other places to be hesitant about getting vaccinated).
