COVID-19 vaccine calculator shows you where you are in line

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Find out how many people are ahead of you to get the vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine calculator
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

"When will I get the COVID-19 vaccine?" That's the question that many of us are asking. Two vaccines are being distributed across the U.S., with healthcare workers first to get the shot. A COVID-19 vaccine calculator can help you understand where you stand in line.

Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine and Moderna's vaccine have both received  emergency FDA approval. Varying amounts of each will be shipped to all 50 states, then dispensed according to CDC recommendations and individual state guidelines. 

The first to receive vaccinations are health care workers and residents and staff of nursing homes. Other high-priority groups include government officials, essential workers, emergency personnel and those with underlying health conditions.

The vaccine is arriving as the pandemic continues to surge across the country. Cases and hospitalizations continue to rise to near-record daily levels in several states. 

Top health officials are trumpeting the safeness and efficacy of the vaccine, in the face of public hesitance. Moncef Slaoui, the head of the federal government's Operation Warp Speed vaccine initiative, told Fox News, "We hope that now that all the data is out and available to be discussed in detail that people will keep their mind open, to listen to the data, and hopefully agree that this is a very effective and safe vaccine, and therefore take it."

Latest COVID vaccine news

  • Moderna's vaccine approved in European Union (Forbes)
  • Why the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is taking longer than expected (NYT)
  • Texas congressman diagnosed with COVID-19 after receiving first vaccine shot (NPR)

How to use the COVID-19 vaccine calculator

The New York Times, in conjunction with the Surgo Foundation and Ariadne Labs, developed a handy tool that gives you an idea of where you stand in line to receive a shot. 

Just go to their COVID-19 vaccine calculator and provide basic information about your age, county of residence, profession and health risks. The results tell you where you are in line in the country, state and county. The results are also displayed in a visual representation.

For instance, when I used the calculator, it said that I'm in line behind 268.7 million people across the United States, behind 16 million people in my state and 2 million people in my county. One of my colleagues got the same number for country and state, but was behind 1.5 million in their county.

The calculator's results are estimates and could change, since the order is not yet finalized and children could be skipped if the vaccine isn't approved for people under 18.

ABC News launched their own calculator, which provides similar results.

Kelly Woo
Kelly Woo
Managing editor, streaming

Kelly is the managing editor of streaming for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.