The province has contracted CuraPatient to develop the app, which will also be used to detect side effects resulting from the vaccinations.
After OC became eligible for residents 65 and older on Tuesday, the system was overwhelmed by people trying to get appointments to where people can no longer register. Messages, calls and emails came with complaints to Eyewitness News.
According to the OC Health Care Agency, 10,000 people were able to get appointments overnight on Tuesday. Some of them are Marvel Bartley’s friends.
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“They were really successful. They went to Disneyland and found that it might be an hour, which is not bad at all, so I do not think it’s a total disaster, but I think it’s challenging,” Bartley said. said. .
Bartley was eligible for the vaccination as part of the 65-year-old group, but as of Friday afternoon, she was only able to register on Othena. Bartley said she will keep trying to book an appointment. She said patience and perseverance are key.
“I think that’s what it takes,” Bartley said.
Bartley and others who were able to register shared the messages they received stating that they were not eligible for appointments (even though they were all over 65), that slots were not available, or that it confirms appointments, but without a date, time and place.
Joseph McFaul said he moved too slowly when he had a chance and had the option to accept a time.
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“I went down quickly to ‘accept’ that appointment and as soon as I click on it, there are no appointments available,” McFaul said.
In addition to the frustration, it is possible that many in the age group 65 and older are not comfortable with technology or have access to it.
According to US census estimates, 14% of the 3.2 million residents of OC are in this age group.
According to data estimates from census treaties, within OC District 5, about 110,000, or 17.5% of about 620,000 people are 65 or older. District 5 supervisor Lisa Bartlett said this technology is still the most efficient route.
‘If you are considering vaccinating the population of 65 years and older in our country, with the aging of the demographic which is a huge population, and we want to vaccinate the population in the most effective way and by all through the Othena- “Setting up a vaccination process to plan appointments is actually the most effective way to get everyone registered, gather all the information in one database and be able to plan appointments,” Bartlett said.
Bartlett has asked residents to keep trying, as new appointments are being opened daily, saying a live chat will be available soon for help.
McFaul appreciated the challenge of the task, but said the faults had to be worked out before they were put to use.
“By having a typical person try to use it and see what obstacles they encounter, I think if they had just done those things, they would have had a better system right away,” McFaul said.
The OCHCA director on Tuesday asked Orange County supervisors to find communities in their districts with a large number of seniors who may not have access to the Disneyland Super POD. The agency will send mobile PODs to these areas on Sundays to vaccinate people, weekly at rotating locations.
Appointments for these Sunday mobile PODs do not go through Othena. Those interested can rather contact their district supervisor’s office.
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