Getting Started in VAMS – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Vaccine Administration Management System, or VAMS, is an easy-to-use, secure, online tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to manage COVID-19 vaccine administration from the time the vaccine arrives at a clinic until it is administered to a recipient.

States and jurisdictions across the United States are using different web-based applications for vaccination clinic management. Contact your health department to find out which vaccination management system they are using for vaccine enrollment and scheduling.

VAMS is a vaccine appointment scheduling system that your health department, employer, or provider may be using to manage vaccine appointments. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine or booster dose if and when you need one.

1. Navigate to the VAMS home page. Click Proceed as Guest.
2. At the bottom of the page, click Enter Your Information to Pre-Register.
3. Search to see if you have an existing account in VAMS. Enter your first name, last name, date of birth, and at least one of the following: email, cell phone, or VAMS system ID. Click Continue.
4. Click Register.
5. Enter your demographic details. Items marked with a red asterisk are required.
6. In the Account Information section, click Yes, Send a Registration Link to My Preferred Method of Contact.
7. Click Next. Check the box to confirm the information is accurate. Click Submit.
8. Check your inbox for a registration email from vams@cdc.gov.
   • Quick tip: If this email is not in your inbox, you may need to check your junk or spam mail folders. If you still cannot find the email, contact the employer or organization that registered you.
9. Click the registration link in the email. This will take you to the account creation page in VAMS.
   • NOTE: The registration link in your email is for your registration only and cannot be used to register anyone else. Please do not forward it to anyone as the link will not work for them.
10. Follow the directions to create and verify your password in the system.
11. Read the terms and conditions and check the box saying you agree.
12. Choose your notification preferences (Email or SMS) for multi-factor authentication (MFA) and verify your identity by entering your password and a unique number you receive through your preferred contact method.
    • NOTE: After five log-in attempt failures, you will be locked out of the system for one hour.
    • You may need to work with your IT department to allow VAMS notifications from specific emails and IP addresses to ensure you receive VAMS email notifications without issue. Visit the Email Notifications from VAMS quick reference guide for more information.

The registration link does not expire.

Make sure you are using the link sent to you via email to start the process. If the link is not working, contact the VAMS Help Desk and they can send you a new registration email.

Toll-Free Number | +1 833-748-1979 Hours of Operation | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM EST | Monday – Friday

Also make sure you are using a supported browser. VAMS works best in the Google Chrome web browser but can be accessed via any browser except Internet Explorer. VAMS also works on Android and iOS mobile devices.

• Search your email inbox for an email from vams@cdc.gov.
• Follow the registration link in this email to register your clinic staff account (this step creates your account).
• If the email isn’t in your inbox, check your junk or spam mail folders
• See the “Activate Your VAMS Account” section in your user manual for step-by-step help.

• You must activate your account in VAMS to use the system.
• Search your inbox for an email from vams@cdc.gov with a subject line of: “Please register to schedule an appointment.”
• If this email is not in your inbox, check your junk or spam mail folders. If you still cannot find the email, contact your organization coordinator.
• Click the registration link in the email. This will take you to the prescreening page.
  • NOTE: The registration link in the email you received is for your registration only—it cannot be used to register someone else. Please do not forward it to anyone because the link will not work for them.

Yes, race and ethnicity are required fields when registering in VAMS. Users may respond “unknown/not reported”.

Can vaccine recipients have non-U.S. addresses?

Yes, vaccine recipients have the option to select from a drop-down list of countries when registering their account.

I noticed my name is showing incorrectly but I can’t change it. What do I do?

Contact your employer. Your employer will send a new registration link with your correct name.

Yes, vaccine recipients have the option to select from a drop-down list of countries when registering their account.

Contact the VAMS Help Desk. The Help Desk will send a new registration link with your correct name.

Toll-Free Number | +1 833-748-1979 Hours of Operation | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM EST | Monday – Friday

Clinics, jurisdictions, and organizations can access VAMS at VAMS Non Recipient Login (cdc.gov). Vaccine recipients can access VAMS by entering their account information in the VAMS recipient login or by proceeding as guest.

VAMS works best in the Google Chrome web browser but can be accessed via any browser except Internet Explorer. VAMS also works on Android and iOS mobile devices.

VAMS is web-based and works on computers, cell phones, and tablets. There is no VAMS smartphone app, but you can access the VAMS website from the internet browser on your cell phone or tablet. VAMS works best in the Google Chrome web browser but can be accessed via any browser except Internet Explorer.

No, VAMS does not currently integrate with Outlook.

VAMS allows for healthcare professionals to backdate vaccinations, allowing vaccination to continue even if VAMS is unavailable. Healthcare professionals will need to document the following information from recipients during vaccination to enter in VAMS once the system is available again.

Information requested during vaccination:

• Vaccine information, including the manufacturer, product, and the vial’s unit of use (UoU) barcode and lot number.
• Administration site (e.g., left deltoid).
• Vaccination outcome: successful or unsuccessful. If unsuccessful, was it possible to re-attempt vaccination?
• Whether wastage occurred.
  • NOTE: Log waste if it did occur.

You can log into VAMS at any time to review, edit, or update your account information through the recipient portal home page.

Appointments for vaccination vary by clinic and can take up to 30 minutes.

You can schedule your appointment from the My Appointments page in your Recipient Portal, from the Registration Confirmation page, or via VAMS guest registration.

• From your Recipient Portal, on the My Appointments page, click Schedule Appointment.

On the Clinic Location page, locate a clinic by entering your address or the ZIP code where you want to be vaccinated. You can filter results within a 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, or 100-mile radius of your address or ZIP code by clicking the drop-down arrow in the Within field.

Click Search and a list of clinics within your selected mile radius will appear.

Click the name of your preferred clinic, then click the Next button that appears below the map.

• NOTE: You must click the clinic name link for the Next button to appear.

On the Date and Time page, select an available appointment date on the calendar to the left side of the page. Days with available appointments appear in black text while unavailable days will be in gray.

Select your appointment time by clicking a time slot, then click Next. Available time slots will appear in blue text while unavailable time slots will be in gray.

• NOTE: Your selected appointment time slot will be held in the system for 10 minutes. If the appointment is not confirmed by that time, it will be released in the system.
• Quick Tip: When considering an appointment, please make sure you can arrive on time. Showing up late may result in cancellation and require you to reschedule at a later date.

Review your selected appointment location, date, and time.

Click Submit to confirm your appointment or Previous to make changes.

If you are scheduling from your Recipient Portal, after clicking Submit, you will see a confirmation that your appointment has been scheduled. This confirmation includes your appointment details and a QR (quick response) code.

You can present this QR code to the front desk staff for a contactless check-in when you arrive for your appointment.

• NOTE: You will also receive an appointment confirmation via your preferred contact method. The appointment confirmation includes the same information as the appointment confirmation page.

Click the VAMS logo in the header to return to the home page or click the Cancel Appointment button if you need to change the appointment.

If you are scheduling via guest registration, after clicking Submit, you will search to see if you have an existing account in VAMS. Enter your first name, last name, date of birth, and at least one of the following: email, cell phone, or VAMS system ID. Click Continue.

If your information isn’t already in VAMS, click Register. Enter your demographic details. Click Next. Check the box to confirm the information is accurate. Click Submit.

You will see a confirmation that your appointment has been scheduled. This confirmation includes your appointment details and a QR (quick response) code. This confirmation will also be sent to your preferred method of contact.

• Expand your search radius to 10, 20, 50, or 100 miles. If no clinics appear within a 100-mile search radius, manually enter your city and state in the search box. If no clinics appear and you know clinics exist, the clinics in your area may not have appointments available.
• You could also try to log out of VAMS and log in again or try again in a new browser.

• Find your appointment confirmation email, then click the Cancel Appointment link.
• You can also log into VAMS and cancel your appointment:
  • Under My Appointments, select the appointment that is in scheduled status. Click the View Details/Modify
  • Select the Reschedule Appointment button.
• Select the date and time for the new appointment you want to schedule. VAMS will redirect you to the reschedule review screen where you will be able to see the existing appointment and the new appointment date/time selected.
• Review the information and then select the Reschedule Appointment Once this button is selected, the system will cancel the original appointment and schedule the new appointment.

• Find your appointment confirmation email, then click the Cancel Appointment Link. You can also log into VAMS and cancel your appointment by clicking View Details/Modify in the My Appointments table, then clicking Cancel Appointment.
• Once you click Cancel Appointment and follow the prompts to cancel your appointment.

If you miss your scheduled appointment by more than four hours, VAMS automatically cancels your appointment. You will get a notification to schedule a new appointment via your preferred communication method (text or email). Each clinic may also have its own policy for missed appointments.

Clinic staff can scan a quick response (QR) code at check-in for a quicker check-in process. Using this code can enable contactless check-in when you arrive at the vaccination clinic.

When you create your appointment, you will have a chance to review the details on the Appointment Confirmation page as the last step in the scheduling process. This confirmation page also includes a quick response (QR) code you can use to check in on the day of your appointment.

You will also receive a confirmation notification via your preferred contact method (email or text).

Log into VAMS and click on the View Appointment link. You can also view your appointment information in your confirmation notification (email or text, depending on your preferred communication method).

After you have completed your first appointment, you will receive a notification that provides the date when you can receive the next dose of vaccine, if required, along with a link to schedule your follow-up appointment.

If the date when you can receive the next dose passes, you will receive a notification reminding you to schedule your follow-up appointment, along with a link to schedule the appointment.

Yes. However, when you receive the appointment reminder notification depends on how far in advance you schedule your appointment. If you selected an appointment time that is today, you will receive a notification within 15–20 minutes of appointment selection. If you selected an appointment time that is more than 12 hours away, you will receive a notification 12 hours before your appointment.

Clinic administrators can set different treatment station operating hours for different days of the week (e.g., hours from 8 AM–5 PM on Monday and 8 AM–12 PM on Tuesday), but these hours will apply to every week (i.e., hours set for Monday will apply to every Monday, but may be different than Tuesday hours). It is recommended to set a wide range of operating hours and treatment station hours and then use treatment station absences to adjust the hours for future weeks as needed.

How do I set up treatment stations?

• Navigate to the Treatment Stations Groups window within the Clinic Setup tab.
• Click the Add Treatment Station Group button.
• Enter the station group name.
• Select the start and end dates (i.e., the dates you want the stations within this group to be available for recipient appointments) for your treatment station group.
• Enter the number of stations you want in this group.
• Click Continue.

Treatment station hours will automatically default to your clinic’s operating hours unless you want a treatment station to have its own unique operating hours.

For step by step instructions on setting individual operating hours for a treatment station or treatment station group please see the Clinic Administrator User Manual. You can also reference the Clinic Administrator User Manual for step-by-step help instructions on how to set up treatment stations.

Yes, a clinic administrator can set up individual operating hours for each treatment station. If individual operating hours are not set, the treatment station(s) will inherit the operating hours set up for the associated clinic.

Treatment stations can all have the same operating hours as each other, or each station can have its own operating hours. See the Clinic Administrator User Manual for more information on how to set up treatment stations and their operating hours.

A common reason a clinic does not show in the search results is due to the clinic’s schedule not being set up completely. The clinic administrator must set the clinic schedule before recipients can schedule appointments at your clinic.

To set up your clinic’s schedule, the clinic administrator will navigate to the Clinic Setup tab and select the appointment duration, set operating hours for the clinic, then create treatment stations and set their operating hours. The clinic administrator must set up at least one treatment station at your clinic for appointments to show as available. The Ready for Operation ribbon at the top of the Clinic Setup tab will show what tasks need to be performed to finish clinic setup. Clinic administrators should also confirm their clinics are listed as Available for Scheduling. To confirm this, go to the Clinic Setup tab, scroll down, and select the applicable Clinic Location Name. Within the Scheduling Permissions window, make sure the Available for Scheduling box is checked. For more information, please reference the Clinic Administrator User Manual.

• You can edit your clinic’s physical address or shipping address at any time.
• These addresses can be different if you prefer vaccines to be shipped to a location other than your clinic’s physical address.
  • Click the Clinic Setup tab, then click the Edit button above your clinic’s shipping address.
  • Make the desired updates, then click Save.

• To edit an appointment duration for your clinic, click the Clinic Setup tab.
• Click the Edit button in the Clinic Details window.
• Click Edit on the new window.
• Select an appointment duration from the drop-down menu, then click Save. This will set the appointment duration for all treatment stations you add for your clinic in VAMS. You may edit this setting at any time.

• Clinic administrators can change a clinic’s end date from the Clinic Setup tab.
• Click the clinic’s name in the Clinic Location(s) window.
• Click the Edit button in the upper left corner.
• Update the end date, then click Save in the upper left corner.

• Clinic administrators can change a clinic’s operating hours from the Clinic Setup tab.
• Click the clinic’s name in the Clinic Location(s) window.
• Click the Edit button in the upper left corner. You can then update the operating hours within the Operating Hours table by clicking the drop-down arrow on the right side of the row for the day of the week you want to edit. Then click Edit.
• You can also add new operating hours by clicking Add Hours, entering new details, and clicking Save.
• In the pop-up window, make the desired updates, then click Save.

• Clinic administrators can change hours for treatment stations from the Clinic Setup tab.
• Within the Treatment Stations Groups window, click the drop-down arrow on the right side of the table row for the treatment station you wish to edit. Then click This brings you to the details page for the treatment station group you selected.
• In the Operating Hours table click the drop-down arrow on the right side of the row for the day of the week in which you want to edit hours.
• Update the treatment stations hours, and click Save.

Please note, these steps only apply to treatment stations with unique operating hours (not treatment stations that use their clinic’s operating hours).

• Clinic administrators and inventory managers can place, view, and manage inventory requests on the Inventory tab in VAMS. While you will place all inventory requests in VAMS, the jurisdiction point of contact (POC) will place all vaccine orders outside of VAMS through an established process determined by the jurisdiction.
• When you receive a vaccine delivery, you can log it in VAMS in one of two ways:
  • Manually enter the information.
  • Use a 2D barcode scanner to scan the barcodes on the vaccine vials. This automatically enters the information in VAMS. Note that scanning is not available for vaccines that do not have unit of use (UoU) barcodes on the vials.
• Use the Scan Inventory or Manually Log Inventory buttons on the Inventory tab.
• You can reduce inventory if any is wasted, incorrectly logged, transferred to another location, etc. either manually or by scanning vaccine vial barcodes with a 2D scanner. Note that scanning is not available for vaccines that do not have unit of use (UoU) barcodes on the vials. Use the Reduce Inventory (Scan) or Manually Reduce Inventory buttons on the Inventory tab to reduce inventory. VAMS will not allow you to reduce more inventory than you have on hand.

• Clinic administrators and inventory managers can use the Inventory tab on the Clinic Portal home page to request vaccine inventory.

Please reference the Inventory Manager User Manual linked below for step-by-step help.