This week’s news that the COVID-19 vaccine can now be given to anyone aged 65 and over in Orange County was met with a mad rush from people waiting to be vaccinated, but for many, it was a struggle to get one. consultation or even make the designated app and website work.
So, what is underway to resolve the situation, and what should people know if they are eligible for the vaccine, but have not yet received it?
Here are some of the questions and concerns that Orange County Register readers have and the most up-to-date answers we could get. (In some cases, plans are still fluid or information was not available.)
Q: The OC Health Care Agency said to use the Othena website or mobile app to register and make an appointment to be vaccinated. Why didn’t it work for me?
A: A big problem is the limited number of appointments and very high demand, with some readers reporting that the Othena website was down when they tried and others saying that there were no hours available. County officials said they were working on some technical issues with the site.
So far, only one large-scale public vaccination site has been launched – Disneyland, which opened on Wednesday – which can currently serve 3,000 to 3,200 people a day. Consultations are being scheduled for no more than three days because the county depends on the state to provide vaccine doses, and officials do not want to cancel anyone’s appointment because vaccines were not available, said county CEO Frank Kim .
It is a frustrating mathematical problem. County health officials said on Wednesday they already had about 42,000 doses on hand, with a shipment of another 35,000 expected next week. This represents 77,000 vaccines – and there are about 800,000 people now considered eligible to receive the vaccine in OC, including about 200,000 health professionals and other high-priority civil servants, in addition to about 600,000 people in the group aged 65 and over, county spokeswoman Molly Nichelson said.
Although more doses (about 170,000 in all) were sent to Orange County, Kim said most of the vaccine went to hospitals and major health care providers, which vaccinated their employees and are free to distribute the vaccines.
“The challenge is that demand is currently exceeding capacity and that will improve,” said Kim. “The difficulty is that we are looking for predictability (in the supply of vaccines) so that we can create a long-term service schedule.
Q: How can I find out if I am eligible to receive the vaccine? Can I just appear on the Disneyland website?
A: The county health officer, Dr. Clayton Chau, after consulting the Orange County vaccine task force, recently decided to open vaccines for anyone aged 65 and over, whether or not they have other health problems, because that age group currently constitutes the majority of CO Residents in hospitals with COVID-19, as well as the majority of people who receive intensive care and need ventilators.
Most health professionals – including paramedics, home health assistants and emergency care staff and dental clinic – and some law enforcement officials working in high-risk environments can now also be vaccinated.
But please, county officials say, don’t come without an appointment. They will not be able to accommodate walk-ins and this will slow down the process for everyone.
Q. So, what should I do if I still need to make an appointment?
A: It may take some persistence. County health officials are advising people to call their doctor or health care provider first, although several readers have said yes and have been told that the provider could not vaccinate them at the time or had no information.
As for Othena (www.othena.com), Kim said the site is being updated and all bugs are fixed regularly, so that may be why some people fail to make it work. “We are advising people to check throughout the day – there is no specific schedule” that open lots of appointments, he said.
The county is also working to add a confirmation feature to let users know that they have successfully registered and, if they are in a category that is not yet eligible for vaccines, they will be notified when it is the group’s turn.
On Thursday afternoon, Kim said that all available commitments were busy, but county officials are working to increase capacity and hope to open more high-capacity sites like Disneyland in the coming weeks.
“We don’t have enough vaccine for everyone who wants it today, but the vaccine’s availability is growing every week according to our capacity, so we ask for patience,” he said.
The county has not indicated how people who do not or cannot use a computer or smartphone can make an appointment, but health agency officials have promised more information about this “in the coming days”.
Q: What should I expect when I get an appointment and how long will it take?
A: First, bring an identity document, such as a driver’s license, to verify your age. Healthcare professionals need an employee badge, letter from the employer or anything else that proves their occupation.
Plan at least a short wait. You will need to check in and be tracked before taking your photo. On the first day on the Disneyland website, it took some people an hour and a half to complete the process, but Kim said that the process had already accelerated a little on day 2. If the forecast is for hot weather, authorities suggest waiting in the car until near the time of your appointment.
After receiving the vaccine, everyone should wait about 15 minutes for the local team to make sure that there are no adverse reactions to the injection. It is expected to take 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish, when everything is working perfectly.
County officials said Othena was also designed to remind users who received their first injection when it was time for the second (the two vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. are two doses) – it should be about three weeks later.