There will be no more crazy runs to make an appointment for a coronavirus vaccine through the Pinellas County online portal.
Beginning with the next batch of vaccine from the state of the first doses to residents aged 65 and over, Pinellas County contractor, CDR Maguire, will contact pre-registered patients to schedule an appointment.
The new agreement will replace the order of arrival protocol that has been in effect since the county launched the CDR online portal and call center last month. In this system, users had to log on to the site or call at a specific date and time to make an appointment for a limited number of doses received that week.
Patients who did not receive consultations were treated with a frozen website, error messages and wasted hours trying to get through.
“We understand people’s frustration with this,” said county administrator Barry Burton at a virtual press conference on Friday. “We have been working tirelessly with the supplier to fix it. Many people said ‘fire them’. But where do I go and how long would it take to create a new system instead of fixing it? “
Pinellas County signed a $ 3 million contract on January 10 with CDR Maguire, a Miami-based emergency management company that set up an online portal and a telephone bank to book appointments and monitor doses administered by the county in partnership with the Florida Department of Health.
Burton did not provide a date for when the county expects to receive another batch of vaccine for residents to receive their first doses. He said that next week’s shipment will go to patients who need a second dose.
Authorities asked residents to also look for the vaccine through other distributors, including pharmacies, community health centers and hospitals – noting that all of these establishments have their own records and protocols.
County commission chairman Dave Eggers acknowledged the dysfunction, but noted that all 28,000 doses the county has received in conjunction with the Pinellas Department of Health to date have been successfully administered “in arms”.
“We made some mistakes when it came to launching the vaccine and actually having the application, the registration process and actually getting nominations,” said county commission chairman Dave Eggers at the conference on Friday. “Many of you have experienced anxiety because of that, frustration, anger, fear and that is why I am really sorry. We need to do better. “
After more than a month of confusion over how to make an appointment for a vaccine, Florida unveiled a new statewide pre-registration system last week. But not all counties participate in the system. Burton said he didn’t even know about the state’s new system until Friday.
Pinellas operates its own sites to administer the vaccine, run by county paramedics. Dr. Ulyee Choe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas, said the authorities hope to be able to offer more access points so that transportation and other charges are not a factor for residents.
But the lack of supply remains a problem. The vaccine is still limited to people aged 65 and over, health services and patients from long-term care facilities.
But with 250,000 seniors in Pinellas, Burton said the demand is huge.
“The reality is that 90% of people who come in will be unhappy because we don’t have the necessary supplies,” said Burton. “But the people who are there must be able to see where they are, whether they can get a vaccine or if they have to come back later.”
Patients can register for a vaccine through Pinellas County by visiting www.patientportalfl.com or by calling 844-770-8548. The provider will call pre-registered patients when appointments are available.
• • •
HOW THE CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING IN FLORIDA: Find the latest numbers for your county, city or zip code.
VACCINES Questions and Answers: Do you have questions about the coronavirus vaccine? We have answers, Florida.
MASKS: Read the latest guidelines, tips for comfort and long-term use
GET DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information.
THE CORONAVIRUS SCRAPBOOK: We collect your stories, photos, music, recipes, diaries and more to show what life has been like during the pandemic.
A TRIBUTE TO THE FLORIDIANS TAKEN BY THE CORONAVIRUS: They were parents and retirees, police and doctors, imperfect, but deeply loved.
HAVE A TIP ?: Send us confidential news tips
We are working hard to bring you the latest coronavirus news in Florida. This effort requires a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t signed up yet, consider purchasing a print or digital subscription.