CDC vaccine locator malfunctions as experts push people to get flu shots now

Vaccines.gov, the federal site that helps people locate nearby pharmacies offering shots, is not functioning just as respiratory virus season approaches. Records suggest it may have been offline for more than a year.

People trying to get a flu shot or a COVID-19 booster have plenty of online resources to choose from, but a free federal search tool widely used to find the nearest vaccine provider is currently not working.

Vaccines.gov, a website run by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services, is designed to help Americans find and book vaccinations close to home.

Users can enter a ZIP code and see a list of nearby pharmacies and providers that offer certain vaccines, along with contact details.

But the search feature is failing.

The site still asks visitors to type in a five-digit ZIP code to locate a nearby pharmacy. Yet when a ZIP code is entered and search is selected, the page returns an error message saying, “Please enter a valid 5‑digit ZIP Code.”

Over several days, TODAY.com reporters and editors tried multiple ZIP codes in several states and received the same message each time.

The tool is still down.

A banner at the top of the site says, “The functionality of this website may be impacted while it is being updated.”

A spokesperson for HHS declined to say how long the site has been down or when it will be restored.

Forbes.com first reported that the ZIP code search tool was not working, but posts on X and Reddit indicate the outage may have started earlier.

Internet archive records show vaccines.gov changed significantly last June.

A previous version of the site, captured from late June by TODAY.com through the Wayback Machine, included an FAQ section explaining how to schedule a vaccine appointment, check whether a vaccine was in stock, and confirm insurance coverage.

That earlier version also offered guidance on who should be vaccinated and how to protect against common respiratory illnesses.

Those sections no longer appear on the site.

Vaccines.gov was once available in both English and Spanish, but it now appears only in English.

The site was launched in 2021 to make vaccine access easier for Americans after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to previous NBC News reporting. It was powered by VaccineFinder.org, a free vaccine location search service run by Boston Children’s Hospital, which is still operating.

It is not clear when vaccines.gov will be working again. In the meantime, Americans can still use other ways to find vaccination sites.

Other ways to locate vaccines

In the United States, respiratory viruses such as influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus tend to peak during the fall and winter.

Vaccination remains the best protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from these viruses. The CDC recommends getting a flu shot in early fall.

Updated COVID-19 boosters, flu shots and RSV vaccines are currently available and are being distributed at pharmacies, doctors’ offices, hospitals and clinics across the country.

If you are unsure which vaccine you need, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

Several resources can help you find a vaccination site near you:

• Vaccinefinder.org
• Local and state health departments
• National pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens
• Local pharmacies
• Federally funded health centers

Most routine vaccinations are covered by insurance, but it is still wise to check with your insurer to make sure your plan includes the shot you need.