Within hours, Vermont’s vaccine launches more than 21,100 users

Mary Barton believes she was one of the first people to sign up for a Covid-19 vaccine appointment in Vermont.

Barton refreshed the Department of Health website on Monday morning. When the sign-up link finally appeared, she clicked through and booked a lock for her 80-year-old mother for Wednesday – the first day clinics will open.

“I was so happy. I cried, “Barton said.

Her mother lives alone in Burlington. For the past year, she has not had close contact with Mary or any of her other 13 children.

Barton said that although her mother’s appointment on Wednesday would not change immediately – her mother still needs a second dose of the vaccine, and even then she would take precautions – it would provide the whole family with some relief.

“We will not be so afraid of getting her sick,” Barton said.

All Vermonters 75 and older can now register online and by phone for vaccinations for vaccines.

The Department of Health started the online registration system around 9am and the call center opened about two hours later.

VTDigger is endorsed by:

According to the department, by 18:00 more than 21,100 people had entered. This is more than 50% of the available appointments.

“This is a wonderful day for public health,” Deputy Health Commissioner Tracy Dolan said Monday afternoon. “Best day in the last twelve months.”

About 80% of the slots were scheduled online, Dolan said, a sign that Vermonters heeded the state’s call to help less tech-savvy family members with the site. The rest was scheduled by phone – the department’s call center, staffed by about 350 people, was on duty all day.

Some users encounter technical issues. Many people have told VTDigger that they have never received an email needed to verify an account on the site. Without an account they can not make an appointment.

Dolan said users should check their email addresses for typos when starting an account. By 11 a.m., the department had recorded more than 500 bad email addresses. If registrants try again and still do not receive the email confirming the account, they should call instead.

Users should also check their spam or junk e-mail if the confirmation message is filled in incorrectly.

Others reported frustrated reporting appointments for several friends or family members under one account. One email address can only be linked to one account, which creates problems for those who do not have an email address or who share an email address.

The health department has provided a solution: ‘Create a single account and add the other person as’ dependent’ according to the directions in the system, according to the updated general questions about the department. There should be no restriction on the number of dependents, Dolan said, but the department is asking users to limit the use of this feature to relationships.

Some people have registered on a completely separate website: Kinney Drugs, the local pharmacy chain, plans to introduce vaccination for 20 days at the 21 locations in Vermont (only Barton is excluded). About a quarter of the vaccinations scheduled for Monday afternoon were through the pharmacy.

The state is contracting with Kinney to provide vaccinations, Dolan said. The pharmacies will report the numbers to the state for detection. “The state oversees everything, and we count it all,” Dolan said.

But the two registration systems are completely separate. Registrants should choose one or the other, Dolan said – they should not book an appointment with Kinney if they have also registered on the Department of Health website, or vice versa.

Another problem is reaching the home-bound Vermonters. The state plans to work with home health agencies and emergency medical services to reach those who cannot get to a clinic, but the information on the report is likely to be gone in a few weeks, Dolan said.

If anyone is unsure whether they are included in this group, Dolan should contact their local home health agency or their local aging agency.

Source

VTDigger is endorsed by:

Share this:

Related