Where to get a COVID-19 vaccine near you

All Michigan residents 16 and over are now eligible to be vaccinated and, as the state's COVID-19 cases have risen alarmingly high over the past 6 weeks, it's more important than ever for everyone to get a vaccine. But it's not always easy to find one.

There are currently three different vaccines that have been approved by the FDA: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. The three vaccines do not guarantee you won't be sick but all three have high efficacy rates in preventing serious illness and decrease the chances of hospitalization if you do get ill with COVID-19.

Simply putting your name on the county list is one way to get a vaccine, eventually, but there are ways you can be proactive to find a vaccine faster.

Where to find a vaccine near me?

There are multiple vaccine search tools out there and, while it's impossible to list all that comes up on a Google search, these are the ones that are recommended by the University of Michigan Medicine.

Vaccinefinder.org - This is perhaps the most used and can be helpful but you need to know that it doesn't automatically guarantee you'll find a vaccine. You can select any or all of the vaccines to find where they're being offered near you, based on your zip code that you enter. Once you click 'search for a vaccine', it will list locations where they're being listed as available, with links to the pharmacy's information but you still have to check appointment availability on each site.

Findashot.org - With Findashot, you can enter your zip code to find appointments near you. The site will list available appointments at different pharmacies but also links you off to the individual pharmacy to find an appointment.

GoodRx.com - This site is powered by Vaccinefinder and supposed to show you any possible vaccine appointments near you. In a brief test of the site with Ferndale, Southfield, and Ypsilanti zip codes, no appointments were listed. You can, however, sign up for text alerts on their site for appointments near you when they become available.

Dr. B Standby list - This site gets you on a standby list for extra doses of the vaccine. That means you'll get texted when a dose is ready for you. Using this site requires you to give over some personal information including your phone number and other contact information. If you get a text, you have to move fast when you're alerted of extra doses.

VaccineMI.org - With this site you can find any pharmacy, hospital, or medical facility administering the vaccine and it will list if they're accepting appointments or not. You can search by county and it will display results in a spreadsheet that allows you to click off to the sites that have appointments available.

How to get into Ford Field

The Ford Field mass vaccination clinic in Downtown Detroit started on March 24. The 8-week facility is managed by the state of Michigan and Henry Ford Health System. There are three different ways to get registered at Ford Field:

Go to their site clinic.meijer.com/register/CL2021
Text END COVID to 75049 and you'll get a link to the site above to register
Call the MDHHS COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136 and press 1. The phone option is available Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5 pm Monday-Friday and 8am to 1 pm on Saturday and Sunday

Find a pharmacy

The following pharmacies all have COVID-19 vaccines and are scheduling appointments. Whether you can get one depends on multiple factors including where you live or how far you want to drive. For example, one person living in Oakland County may not be able to find a vaccine within 20 miles but would be willing to drive to a Rite Aid in Owosso for the vaccine.

NOTE: We cannot list every pharmacy in southeast Michigan on this site, these are the large chain pharmacies that have ways to schedule appointments. If you'd like to find smaller pharmacies, we advice using the Vaccinefinder or Findashot sites listed above.

Find your county or state health departments

You can also find appointments on county or state health department websites as well. Here are the county and state departments around southeast Michigan to help you find an appointment.