Raleigh, NC Wake County is asking for patience as seniors try to access a waiting list for COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday.
At 8:30 a.m., a phone line and website will begin allowing Wake County residents 65 and older to enter a waiting list for a coronavirus vaccine. Minutes later, WRAL viewers have already reported issues.
Vaccinations against coronavirus in NC
One caller said that the phone number displayed a message that the line was disconnected and that dozens of others could not load the web tool.
Wake County spokeswoman Stacy Beard said hundreds of thousands of people visited the site within seconds, causing it to crash.
“The sheer volume is enormous,” she said.
Staff said seniors may have to wait, but they will have a chance to sign up for a vaccine. Awake leaders have created the waiting list system so that people do not have to wait in line to get a vaccine. Once people join the waiting list, they will call instead when an appointment with the vaccine is available.
“We have done our best to create a system that will be user-friendly and seamless,” said Matt Calabria, commissioner of Wake County.
If you are eligible for a vaccine, you can register for the waiting list by calling 919-250-1515 or calling online at wakegov.com/vaccine. Staff require patience as high traffic volumes can cause technical problems.
Callers will be asked if they have a primary care physician, and what their name, phone number, and email address are. They will then be added to the Wake County COVID-19 waiting list for vaccinations.
“This is not a first-come-first-served system. We prioritize those who are most in need. If you are 75 years and older, we prioritize you. We also prioritize people who were in the past. [Phase] 1A qualification, “Calabria said.
Phase 1A included health workers treating COVID-19 patients and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. North Carolina recently revised its priority list for vaccinations and removed the designation of Phase 1A.
As the provinces receive doses, those on the waiting list will be notified by phone, email or text message, and they will then have the opportunity to schedule an appointment, by phone or online.
“We have partnered with a private company to help us handle a lot of the call traffic,” Calabria said. “We do our best to manage capacity through these private-public partnerships to handle call traffic. We will see [Tuesday] how things are going, but we are as optimistic and prepared as we can. ‘
Officials hope to avoid problems reported during vaccinations in other provinces.
“We want to avoid what we’ve seen in some other places, with long queues wrapped around buildings, and especially for older people,” he said.
Calabria said now is not the time to register for Wake County residents who do not fall into the two categories eligible for the waiting list. Officials said they already expect high call volume and online applications.