Rhode Island Adding 16,000 New Coronavirus Vaccine Appointments

PROVIDENCE, RI — About 16,000 coronavirus vaccine appointments will be added to the state's scheduling portal Friday evening, Gov. Dan McKee announced Thursday. The new appointments will open starting at 5 p.m., following the usual schedule.

Appointments can be scheduled through Rhode Island's vaccine portal or by calling 844-930-1779.

Vaccine eligibility is currently open in Rhode Island to residents aged 40 and older, along with those 16 and older with certain underlying health conditions, or who live in communities hardest-hit by the pandemic. Starting Monday, eligibility will be expanded to all residents 16 years and older.

In the past weeks, state-run, mass vaccination sites have seen more and more last-minute cancellations or appointment no-shows, said Tom McCarthy, the executive director of the state's COVID-19 vaccination distribution effort. To avoid wasting doses, residents are urged to cancel their appointment as soon as possible if they can no longer make it or get one somewhere else, he said, which will allow the appointment to be offered to someone else.

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