Getty How can you get Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine?
The newest vaccine available in the United States is the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. It’s been added to the arsenal of vaccines approved for emergency use by the FDA, joining Pfizer and Moderna. But how can you find a Johnson & Johnson vaccine near you?
Try the CDC’s VaccineFinder
The best and easiest way to find a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine near you is by using the CDC’s VaccineFinder here. This service currently only shows COVID-19 vaccines and not vaccines for the flu or other illnesses.
Click on the “Get vaccinated at a location near you” button and you’ll be taken to this search page. Here you can enter your ZIP code and choose how far you want to drive (up to 50 miles) to get a vaccine.
You can also specifically choose if you are only looking for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, versus Moderna or Pfizer. Some people prefer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it’s a single-dose vaccine and the others require two doses, but the CDC recommends getting any of the three if one is available to you.
After you enter your information and choose only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can see which locations carry the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and whether any are currently in stock. Even if the vaccine is listed as out of stock, it may be worth visiting the pharmacy’s or retailer’s website just in case. Availability can change rapidly.
And just because a vaccine is listed as in stock, this doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be able to get an appointment. But this is a good place to start if you’re trying to narrow down who may be carrying the Johnson & Johnson vaccine specifically near you. There may also be other vaccine locations in your region that aren’t listed on the VaccineFinder. The Wall Street Journal offers a state-by-state guide so you can find out the best way to connect with vaccine resources in your state.
Many Retailers Are Offering the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
Many retailers are offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, although availability in some regions may be more limited than Pfizer or Moderna.
For example, the CDC’s VaccineFinder lists Walmart, HEB, Sam’s Club, Randalls, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Safeway, Costco, Fred Meyer, Sav-On, some regional clinics and more.
When you visit a retailer’s site and try to make a vaccine appointment, some specifically list the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as an option to search for, while others don’t make the information about which vaccine you’ll receive readily available.
HEB, for example, tells you on their scheduler what type of vaccine is being given at each location.
Publix specifically lists the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Moderna vaccines as the only ones currently offered at their locations, but not all pharmacies tell you which you’re getting when making an appointment.
Albertsons stores (including Randalls and Safeway) let you pick specifically which vaccine you want to make an appointment for, including Johnson & Johnson.
CVS’s vaccine scheduler notes when scheduling a vaccination appointment that you can’t choose which vaccine you’ll get, but what you receive will be determined based on inventory in your region. However, some locations will list in advance on the scheduler specifically which type of vaccine they are offering.
Whether or not you can choose your vaccine varies widely depending on the retailer. You may want to call ahead to make sure the vaccine you want is available if you have a preference — though National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci urged that “people should take the one that’s most available to them” on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in late February.
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