Walgreens’ surprise vaccination appointments have been filled, but seniors can still register on Monday

Appointments opened before the expected date for Vermonters 65 and older to get the Covid-19 vaccine have all been filled, officials said at a news conference on Friday.

Walgreens opened vaccinations for that age group earlier than planned Thursday due to a higher-than-expected federal allocation of vaccines, said Mike Smith, secretary of the human service.

“It was an award that was higher than expected, but we knew the supply was limited. I think it was about 4,300 doses,” he said. “Right now, Walgreens is full, and we almost knew it was going to happen, given the size of the group.”

Walgreens is one recipient of a federal government pilot program to distribute vaccines directly to pharmacies rather than to the states. Gov. Phil Scott said at a news conference Tuesday that many governors are concerned about the lack of control over the program.

In response to questions Friday about Vermonters’ last-minute confusion, Scott said the administration of doses in the pharmacy is an “improvement” for the ongoing vaccination program. “It was a limited supply, but we wanted to get it out there as quickly as possible,” he said.

Smith said the state will work to better coordinate with Walgreens on future awards. “These pharmacy programs are going to be essential in terms of how we look forward to our vaccination strategy,” Smith said.

Vermonters 65 and older can register for a vaccine appointment via the Department of Health website and via Walgreens and Kinney Drugs websites, starting Monday at 8:15 p.m.

[Read our updated FAQ: How to sign up for the Covid vaccine]

Nearly 18% of Vermonters 16 and older received their first dose of the vaccine, including 72% of Vermonters 75 and older, and 25% of Vermonters 70 to 74. Approximately 47,000 people received only the first dose and 51,000 received both doses. . according to the Department of Health.

To sign up for a vaccine appointment, visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine (preferred) or call 855-722-7878.

You will be asked to provide your name, date of birth, address, email address (if available), telephone number and health insurance information (if available but not required).

Variant not found, but still a source of concern

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Test samples from the Burlington and Bennington area have so far not discovered any cases of a Covid variant in Vermont, Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner of the health department, said.

Burlington found samples of the markers of Covid variants in their wastewater tests, but Levine said the state is trying to confirm the presence of the variant in Covid-positive individuals in Vermont.

“We continue to send Burlington samples on a weekly basis to see if any of them will show the series, but Vermont is actually one of only a few states that have not yet found a variant in the PCR testing. not, “he said. .

A new variant has been found in New York City, and some evidence suggests that the vaccine will not work as well on the variant, but Levine said: “we do not know much about those in New York yet, because literally they announced it within a week. “

He said next month could be a turning point in the fight against the virus, a critical month for all.

“We’re going to have increasing numbers of people with natural immunity and vaccine-mediated immunity, which is going to be a wonderful thing,” he said. “And hopefully we will still have the impact of positive behavior change that took place after the holidays.”

But these signs of positivity can lead to a false sense of security, with some states lowering restrictions. “Most people in the community of infectious diseases and epidemiology do not believe for one minute that we can facilitate all the things we do every day,” Levine said.

“We should not relax because more people are being vaccinated,” he said. ‘We need to realize that we no longer want to see these tribes like in New York City; we can be very focused on constantly doing the behavior patterns that we try to practice all the time, ”he said.

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Variant not found, but still a source of concern

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