Since coronavirus vaccines opened on April 1 for Californians 50 and older, and with all residents 16 years and older eligible on April 15, you may be one of the many people now trying to find an appointment.
Maybe you have planned an appointment far away from your place of residence or one by one that you can not make. And then you might have booked another appointment after finding one that is more comfortable for you.
But if you are planning more than one appointment for your first dose of the two-vaccine Pfizer or Modern vaccines, or your single-vaccine Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you may delay the goal of vaccinating as many people as possible to prevent serious diseases and reduce hospitalizations. deaths due to COVID-19, say health experts.
“If someone does not cancel an appointment, it means that an appointment has been taken from someone else,” said dr. Matt Willis, the Marin County Public Health Officer, said.
“You’re literally taking a dose from someone else,” Willis added.
The turnout in Marin County is between 5-10%. On a good day, Willis said, it’s 5% or less.
It is likely that many people who are currently looking for available slots have booked more than one at a time, which has become a ‘real challenge for us because we need predictability’, Willis said.
Once the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are thawed out of the cold room, they have a relatively short shelf life. Exhibitions without events lead to vendors scrambling to avoid doses.
In Marin County, extra doses are used for volunteers at vaccination rooms or sent to long-term care facilities and the provincial prison.
According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, vaccination sites run by different health care providers have different protocols, but all plan “aggressively” to ensure doses are not wasted.
“Many vaccination companies have a call list of those who are eligible, which can be called at the end of a day to be vaccinated,” the department said. “Almost 100% of the vaccines received each week will be allocated in the coming week.”
Canceling an unnecessary appointment is easy and can make a big difference. “Take that extra step for someone else’s sake,” Willis said.
Second doses are usually scheduled when you make your first appointment or when you receive the first dose. If for some reason you are unable to make the appointment, the officials will ask you to reschedule as soon as possible.
You can cancel such an unnecessary appointment through different providers:
• For most providers, including provinces and major health systems: Contact the vaccine provider to cancel the appointment. Be sure to check your email confirmation, which usually includes a link to cancel your appointment.
• My turn: Follow the instructions in the email or SMS you received to confirm your appointment through the state’s reporting system.
• CVS of Rite Aid: Click on the “Cancel your appointment” link in your vaccination confirmation email.
• Safeway: Click on the link you received in a confirmation text. Once you have received an email confirmation, click the “Manage Schedule” button.
• Walgreens: Click the “Change or cancel appointment” link in your confirmation email address. You can also cancel via this website.
Jessica Flores is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores