Rhode Island is now vaccinating people against COVID-19. The state is committed to distributing COVID-19 vaccines as safely, quickly, and equitably as possible. Our goals are to minimize deaths and hospitalizations, to focus on equity, and to reopen the economy. Rhode Island will use an age-based approach, with accelerated distribution to people in the most vulnerable geographies and with specific health conditions.
We're committed to safe access to all! Learn more about our hard-hit community vaccination strategy.
Vaccinating against COVID-19 is one of the largest vaccination efforts our country has ever seen. The initial supply of vaccine is limited. When your group becomes eligible for vaccination, it may take some time for everyone in that group to get an appointment. The more supply we receive each week, the more quickly appointments will become available.
Please remember that making a vaccination appointment when it is not your turn denies eligible Rhode Islanders a chance to be vaccinated that day and slows down vaccine roll out in Rhode Island. Are you a healthcare provider? There is also a dedicated resource page on COVID-19 vaccine information for healthcare providers.
For answers to frequently asked questions about vaccines, please see our Vaccine FAQs.
Information for Those Unable to Leave Their Home for Vaccine
RIDOH is partnering with three agencies—Alert Ambulance, MedTech Ambulance, and PACE—to administer COVID-19 vaccines to homebound people in their residences. If you have already completed the survey, one of these agencies will contact you soon to schedule a vaccination appointment. These agencies will begin vaccinating some people as soon as March 20.
Please note that Rhode Island has access to a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines. Appointments for in-home vaccination are therefore being prioritized based on age and geography. Appointments will be made first for the oldest people and those who live in one of the following high-density communities: 02860, 02861, 02863, 02893, 02895,02904, 02905, 02906, 02907, 02908, 02909, 02910, 02911, 02914, 02919, and 02920.
RIDOH encourages those who can safely attend vaccination opportunities outside the home to do so. Due to limited vaccine supply, requests to vaccinate caregivers during a homebound vaccination appointment will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such requests should only be made in situations where a caregiver leaving the home to seek vaccination will jeopardize the safety or care of the homebound individual. Caregivers who are vaccinated during a homebound vaccination appointment must meet current Rhode Island COVID-19 vaccination eligibility criteria.
If you are unable to leave home to receive COVID-19 vaccination, or are the healthcare provider or family caregiver of someone who is homebound, please inform RIDOH through the following survey: http://bit.ly/homeboundvax.