COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are available to eligible Rhode Islanders as of Friday, September 24. This follows CDC’s recommendation to make booster doses of Pfizer vaccine available to certain people. For more information on eligibility, please see https://covid.ri.gov/boosterdoses. People who are eligible should get their booster doses at least six months after their second dose of Pfizer. We expect demand for Pfizer vaccine to be high through October given our very high vaccination rates. We encourage everyone to make an appointment to get vaccinated when possible. This will help Rhode Island be able to administer vaccines quickly and efficiently. You can find appointments at any of the options listed at C19VaccineRI.org. If you need help making an appointment, please call 844-930-1779 or 2-1-1.
Rhode Island’s Hard-Hit Community Vaccination Strategy Find COVID-19 Vaccines Near You Use the COVID-19 Vaccine Site Locator to find a location near you (instructional video). Free walk-ins are now available at many sites for everyone age 16 and older. Many options are also available for ages 12-15. After closing the welcome message, type in your address Adjust the slider to preferred distance Select a site on the map and click the link or call the number to make an appointment Find COVID-19 Vaccines Schedule an Appointment Online vaccinateri.org vaccines.gov Call for an Appointment State-wide call 844-930-1779 Central Falls call 401-616-2451 Pawtucket call 401-616-2205 Providence call 3-1-1 Frequently Asked Questions How do I get vaccinated for COVID-19? Updated 6/9/21 Find a vaccine clinic near you at C19VaccineRI.org. You do not need an appointment at most vaccination sites. You can get vaccinated at State vaccination sites; select local pharmacies and other local and regional vaccination sites, like clinics run by cities and towns, hospitals, community health centers, and other sites in the community. If you need help, you can call 844-930-1779, or 2-1-1. At 2-1-1, a live, trained person can offer free help in multiple languages and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A person may schedule and consent to vaccination, online or on the phone, for someone else with verbal approval. This video by the Rhode Island National Guard explains how to make an appointment. This video was made when Rhode Island first started vaccinating. Some of the details may be out of date, but this video still correctly describes how to use vaccinateRI.org to make appointment and how to get a vaccination at The Dunkin Donuts Center and at Sockanosset: https://fb.watch/3-L0Kz56XS/ Is there a cost or co-pay for COVID-19 vaccine? Updated 6/9/21 No. COVID-19 vaccines will be provided at no cost. Those who administer vaccines may charge insurance companies a fee for giving the someone the shot, but they will not charge the person being vaccinated. No matter where you are vaccinated, COVID-19 vaccine providers cannot charge people if COVID-19 vaccination is the only service provided. No one can be denied vaccination based on healthcare coverage or network. Providers also cannot require additional medical services to get vaccinated. Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine even if I don’t have health insurance? Updated 2/17/21 Yes, people without health insurance will receive the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. Are undocumented immigrants eligible for COVID-19 vaccine? Updated 2/1/21 Yes. Undocumented immigrants are eligible for vaccine in Rhode Island. No questions about immigration status will be asked at vaccination appointments. We do not share information with immigration authorities. *Please note that for vaccinations happening in Central Falls, you may be asked for proof of residency (e.g., identification, driver’s license, utility bill, rent bill). This is because they are prioritizing vaccine for community members. (Information and resources for undocumented immigrants) How do I get to my appointment without a car? Updated 4/15/21 Many vaccination sites across the state are accessible by public transportation. To view transportation routes and any possible walking distances, visit www.ripta.com and enter your travel information into RIPTA’s trip planner on the homepage. The website also has detailed maps and timetables for every RIPTA route. If you need help or cannot visit the website, call RIPTA’s Customer Service team at 401-781-9400. Starting Monday, April 19, RIPTA will offer free transportation for anyone traveling to or from a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. For more information or to take advantage of this program, please contact RIPTA Customer Service by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling 781-9400. Anyone enrolled in Medicaid or older than 60 can use the Non-Emergency Medical Transport Service provided by MTM. Transportation can be booked online at https://www.mtm-inc.net/mtm-link/ or by calling MTM at 855-330-9131 (TTY: 711) at least two business days before the appointment. If you are not enrolled in Medicaid, there may be a small cost to schedule a ride. For more information on the Non-Emergency Medical Transport Service, please see this FAQ sheet. Need Transportation? Vaccine Transportation Information At-Home Vaccination Information About Our Strategy Many Rhode Islanders living in specific geographies have experienced higher rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths throughout the pandemic. For example, in the seven hardest-hit ZIP codes, people of color as young as 25 are experiencing higher hospitalization rates than white people over 60 years old. Such differences are directly connected to the social conditions in which some communities of color are more likely to live and work every day, and to systems of structural racism and discrimination that have historically undermined the health and well-being of these communities. RIDOH believes reaching high vaccination rates across all individuals and communities regardless of ZIP code is key to saving lives and achieving broader population immunity. Rhode Island’s Hard-Hit Community Vaccination Strategy aims to ensure equitable vaccine access by distributing vaccine more quickly and deliberately in the hardest-hit areas. This includes focused efforts to expand access to and uptake of vaccine among communities of color at highest risk of hospitalization and death. Focused strategies are necessary to ensure vaccine access for the most vulnerable members of the hardest-hit areas in the state. The Rhode Island Department of Health is collaborating with city, town, and community leaders in these hard-hit communities using available data to determine the best timing and strategy to expand vaccination opportunities for members of these harder-hit communities. This may include: Conducting vaccination clinics for community members in convenient locations (e.g., housing authorities, food pantries, community or faith-based organizations, etc.) Expanding the number of community-based vaccination sites and providers. Expanding vaccination opportunities through retail pharmacies and healthcare providers in hard-hit communities. Providing vaccination appointment registration support to community members.
Call for an Appointment State-wide call 844-930-1779 Central Falls call 401-616-2451 Pawtucket call 401-616-2205 Providence call 3-1-1
