NORFOLK, Va. - In the search to find a vaccine appointment, some are now turning to third-party sites to check for appointment availability or to help get notified if there are leftover vaccines.
One of the most talked about is calledDr. B. If you register for the site, it can text you if a provider has leftover vaccines available. Currently, the site is not operating in Virginia or North Carolina, but does still let you sign-up in case it goes live in the future.
Others are turning to social media to try and find appointments. There are several Facebookaccounts and a Twitter account all dedicated to trying to help people get appointments and find openings.
Other websites show you where vaccine appointments are available, includingvaccinespotter.org. The site currently shows appointments available near the Virginia-Tennessee border, but none in the Hampton Roads area.
Another site called vaccinefinder.org shows the locations where vaccines are being given out locally.
While there is still much greater demand than supply in Virginia, supply is increasing. Virginia is getting more than 180,000 first dose vaccines this week and more than 160,000 second dose vaccines. The allotment of Johnson & Johnson is lower this week, but is expected to ramp up dramatically by the end of the month.
"That will be the time when our supply and our access increase," said Dr. Danny Avula, the state vaccination coordinator. For now, many continue to refresh third-party websites.