DC vaccine website issues frustrate residents

DC vaccine website issues frustrate residents

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Residents of DC on Thursday experienced serious problems filing online for the coronavirus vaccinations online.

Residents of DC on Thursday experienced serious problems filing online for coronavirus vaccinations online.

It was supposed to open more than 4,000 slots for 18 and older with qualifying medical conditions, but many residents ran into roadblocks when they tried to register.

Others said they were not allowed to register because they were under 65, even though they already had conditions.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser blames the amount of traffic to the site.

One reader, under 65 with a priority zip code, told WTOP that the situation was “absurd”.

‘I saw a tweet about a high traffic volume, but nothing related to the requirements. … Idiots, ‘they said.

A screenshot of what one reader saw when they tried to upload DC’s vaccination questionnaire for registration on Thursday morning.

The reader said that they hit a wall when they wanted to refresh the site, “but on the main site you can still click through to the questionnaire as if there were appointments.”

Another reader who is also under 65 in a priority zip code said they could make an appointment via DC’s call center at 855-363-0333 – but got the wrong address and had to find the right place via Google Maps.

The DC health department tweeted shortly after 10 a.m. that all online appointments had been booked.

‘We know this morning was very frustrating for many people. We are working with Microsoft to understand why heavy traffic has caused some suitable individuals not to get through, ‘the agency tweeted.

Cielo Contreras, who said she’s on DC’s list of eligible residents, told WTOP’s Megan Cloherty that she was excited to be able to register because she’s pregnant, and her doctor warned her of the dangers. of COVID-19 for pregnant women. could not browse the site.

She said she started refreshing the site a little before 9am

‘And then the thing appeared to fill out the questionnaire. And I did it very refreshingly, it kept crashing, ‘she said. ‘So I would click on something, it would say: it is not available, I will have to refresh or go back. So it took … many steps to fill out the form. ‘

Contreras calls the experience frustrating because DC “did not turn the switch, or did at the back of the site what people could register in this new category.”

“Is it that hard?” she said, adding: ‘I think there should be a better way to let people know:’ OK, you did not get it this time. ‘

The DC council tweeted residents’ apologies, saying there is “no excuse for the vaccine appointment system that does not allow those under 65 with existing medical conditions to sign up for appointments.”

Ward 7 DC board member Vincent Gray slammed the broken registration on Twitter, calling it “unacceptable.”

“I am very concerned about how this has affected everyone who tried to sign up for a vaccination,” he wrote. ‘I met with dr. (LaQuandra) Nesbitt talks, and she too expressed her concern about the problems residents were experiencing this morning. ‘

Ward 6 DC councilor Charles Allen’s office said they would “strengthen all updates this afternoon before the release tomorrow in the city.”

On its coronavirus vaccination registration website, DC Health said it would be available for about 9,350 additional appointments for eligible residents by 9 a.m. Friday at 9 p.m.

According to the website, the priority postal codes are focused in wards 5, 7 and 8 and include the postal codes: 20422, 20011, 20017, 20018, 20002, 20001, 20019, 20020, 20032, 20593.

“Hopefully by Friday morning DC will rectify the website restriction for those who already have medical conditions. “Maybe DC should just limit itself to DC RESIDENTS on Friday as it was so messy today,” another reader wrote in an email to WTOP.

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