USG Launches GETVAX Textline And Other Search Tools to help people get vaccinations

Need A COVID-19 Vaccine? Biden Admin Launches GETVAX Textline And Other Search Tools The Biden administration announced a website and text line to help people find COVID-19 vaccines near where they live. It's a new and improved version of VaccineFinder, which launched in February. NPR.org

The Biden administration launched a website and text line on Friday to help people find COVID-19 vaccines near where they live. A national 1-800 hotline in dozens of languages will also soon be announced, according to a senior official from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Vaccines.gov previously offered general guidance about vaccines, such as explainers on how they work and why they're important. Now, it features a tool that allows people to input their zip code and see which pharmacies and other providers have COVID-19 vaccine doses in stock.

The online tool is a new and improved version of VaccineFinder, a website from Boston Children's Hospital, Castlight, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That site, which launched with information about COVID-19 vaccines in late February, looked very similar.

Vaccines.gov's improvements include a Spanish language version of the site — Vacunas.gov — new accessibility features for people with visual impairments, and about three times more vaccine providers, according to John Brownstein, the founder of VaccineFinder and chief information officer at Boston Children's Hospital.

By having comprehensive coverage, it's just going to make it easier and easier for people to use the site, navigate getting a vaccine and ultimately getting that shot," he says. When VaccineFinder launched in February, only five states showed all available vaccine providers. Now, Brownstein says, it's the "vast majority of states," and they're working with those last few states to include them as well.

Also launched Friday were two textlines. If you text your zipcode to GETVAX (for English) or VACUNA (for Spanish) you will get a message back with three possible vaccination sites, with phone numbers to call for an appointment.

The plan is to do outreach about these new tools in different hard-to-reach populations, a senior HHS official wrote in a statement to NPR. "For example, we'll advertise the 1-800 number in rural areas that may have less access to broadband, and target digital ads toward younger people with information on the text message tool." ...