WASHINGTON —
THE QUESTION:
Some people online are sharing that if you text the number 438829, it will queue up locations near you offering the COVID-19 vaccines. Is that number legit?
THE ANSWER:
Yes, it's a texting line rolled out by the Biden administration, and you can get the same information in Spanish by texting your zip code to 822862 or visiting Vaccines.gov
OUR SOURCES:
President Joe Biden- May 4, 2021 news conference
Jeffrey Zients- White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator- May 7, 2021 press briefing
WHAT WE FOUND:
Pretty quickly we can tell you, yes, it's real. The texting line was unveiled in early May 2021.
“Text your zip code to the following number, 438829, your zip code to that number 438-829, and you’ll get a text back with the location that is nearest to you with vaccines in stock right then and there,” President Biden said during a news conference on May 4.
The number was also discussed during a recent White House COVID-19 Response Team.
"If you haven’t gotten your shot yet and have questions, talk to your doctor or pharmacist," Robert Zients, White House COVID-19 Response coordinator said. "And when you’re ready to roll up your sleeve, visit Vaccines.gov, or text your zip code to 438829 to find a vaccine near you. Let me repeat that: text your zip code to 438829. It’s free, it’s easy, it’s convenient, and it’s how we save lives and return to a more normal lifestyle."
Those numbers spell out “Get Vax.” If you want those directions in Spanish, you can text your zip code to 822862, which spells out "Vacuna." Vaccines.gov has that same information online.
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