The only New Jersey residents eligible for the vaccine are residents in ranges 1a and 1b: health professionals, first responders and other frontline workers.
But a flaw in Hackensack Meridian Health’s system is wrongly allowing the general public to register for the vaccine, ABC7 reports.
The flaw presents itself as a link in the MyChart system – a patient portal within the hospital system – allowing the first respondents to skip the vaccine queue.
The failure also allows patients to create consultations for family members.
Hackensack Meridian spokesman Ben Goldstein said there was always a warning on the site, which has since been improved, and no one outside the priority groups has been able to make appointments or cut the line.
“You have to ask yourself, ‘Why are people who are not the first to respond still trying to get appointments?'” He said.
“Of course, we are only doing this for the first respondents.”
“We don’t send text messages or e-mails with the registration link to patients,” Mary Jo Leyton told ABC.
Individuals who signed up for vaccines, who shouldn’t, are being “wiped out,” Goldstein said.
“Yesterday we were making personal calls because we think it is the right thing to do and to make sure it is clear why they are not receiving these queries.”
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