Georgia

Q&A: How can I book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Georgia? Which shots are available?

Channel 2 Action News is working every day to answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced that all Georgians 16 and older will be eligible for vaccines starting March 25.

Throughout the rollout, many viewers have called and messaged us saying they are still looking to get their shots but have run into issues.

[SPECIAL SECTION: COVID-19 Vaccine in Georgia]

Channel 2 Action News reached out to vaccine providers and the Georgia Department of Public Health for answers to your most commonly asked questions.

Q: Where do I go to sign up for an appointment?

There are three main websites. The state runs myvaccinegeorgia.com that is specifically for appointments at one of the 8 state-run mass vaccination sites.

The second site is the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Website. It has a dropdown link dedicated to finding a vaccination site broken down by county.

[MAP: Where are Georgia’s mass vaccination sites?]

A third site is vaccinefinder.org, which is an aggregate site that allows you to put in a zip code and find a location near you.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize in addition to public health, in addition to GEMA, there’s a lot of private sector sites and our website has a list of those,” Dr. Chris Rustin told Channel 2′s Lori Wilson.

Each website requires you to answer an eligibility questionnaire that determines if you fit into one of the categories. Don’t forget that local pharmacies are handling their own appointments.

[LINK: Where to find the COVID-19 vaccine in Georgia]

Q: When is the best time to find an appointment and where?

The Georgia Department of Public Health says more appointment slots open up as the health departments receive more vaccines. It is usually the first part of the week when all of the sites start getting an idea of how much vaccine they will have on hand.

There is a better chance earlier in the week of getting an appointment based on what each site has.

When it comes to appointments, you can go to a different county than where you live to get the shot. Right now, the rural areas in Georgia have had more openings than others.

Q: What shots are available at the appointments?

Most vaccination sites will offer the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Right now, Georgia is using its limited Johnson & Johnson vaccine shipments for educators and school staff, for homebound individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other hard to reach populations.

The Georgia Department of Health said Walgreens, Walmart, CVS and GEMA sites use Pfizer. Some of those pharmacies may have limited amounts of Moderna, but primarily it’s Pfizer.

Beyond that, it’s a mixture of Pfizer and Moderna statewide, depending on storage capacity.

[RELATED: What you can and can’t do once you’re fully vaccinated, according to guidelines]