Where To Get A Coronavirus Vaccine In Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's coronavirus vaccine campaign is speeding along, with all residents in the state set to become eligible to make an appointment starting April 19.

"We continue to vaccinate as many people as our vaccine allocation allows," Gov. Dan McKee said. "Our increased capacity to get shots in arms puts us on track to meet the President’s recommendation that all adults are eligible for vaccination by April 19."

There are several ways to schedule an appointment in the state. More information about the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination efforts is available on the Department of Health's website. Here's what you need to know.

State-run sites

• Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence
• Sockanosset Cross Road, Cranston
• Former Benny's Store, Middletown
• Former Sears store: Woonsocket
• Regional vaccine pods: East Providence, Westerly and Johnston
• Schneider Electric, South Kingstown

Preregistration notification list

Rhode Islanders who aren't yet eligible to get vaccinated can sign up to be notified by phone, email or text on portal.ri.gov. When an appointment becomes available, a link will be sent with a one-time-use code to schedule an appointment. The link will expire after 24 hours.

Pharmacy/retail locations

Several businesses are offering coronavirus appointments, separate from the Rhode Island Department of Health. Appointments can be scheduled directly through their sites.

• CVS
• Walgreens
• Stop & Shop
• WalMart

Hard-hit communities

In an effort to put equity at the forefront of the state's vaccine distribution effort, vaccine eligibility has been expanded to residents aged 16 and older of the ZIP codes hardest-hit by the pandemic.

"Equity is a major focus for us in responding to the COVID-19 crisis," said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Department of Health. "This means distributing vaccine in a way that is responsive to the reality that COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on certain communities. This approach is reflective of our larger vision at the Rhode Island Department of Health that all Rhode Islanders in every ZIP code should have an equal opportunity to be healthy."

Residents of the following ZIP codes are eligible to make a vaccine appointment: 02860, 02861, 02863, 02895, 02904, 02905, 02907, 02908, and 02909. On Friday, eligiblilty opened to all Woonsocket residents.

Starting Monday, the following communities will be added: 02893 (West Warwick), 02906 (Providence), 02910 and 02920 (Cranston), 02911 (North Providence), 02914 (East Providence) and 02919 (Johnston).

Eligibility Timeline

Starting April 12, Rhode Islanders aged 40 to 49 will become eligible to get a coronavirus vaccine appointment. The 50 to 59 age group opened up April 5.

By April 19, all Rhode Islanders aged 16 and older will be eligible to get vaccinated.

Based on this timeline, the Rhode Island Department of Health estimates that 70 percent of Rhode Islanders aged 16 and older will have at least partial immunity from the coronavirus by May 15, meaning they received at least one dose of the vaccine two weeks earlier. By June 5, that number is expected to expand to 70 percent of all residents.

Read more:

• New Rules For Large Events In RI Heading Into Summer Months
• New Hope For Proms, Graduations In RI As Restrictions Loosen
  
• Rhode Island Sets New Target Dates For Vaccination Rates