Problems with the DC vaccine site frustrate residents

Problems with the DC vaccine site frustrate residents

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DC residents had serious problems registering for online coronavirus vaccination appointments on Thursday.

DC residents had serious problems registering for online coronavirus vaccination appointments on Thursday.

More than 4,000 places were expected to open at 9 am for anyone aged 18 or older with qualifying medical conditions, but many residents faced roadblocks when trying to register.

Others said they were not allowed to register because they are under 65, although they have pre-existing conditions.

Mayor Muriel Bowser blamed the site’s traffic volume.

A reader, under the age of 65 at a priority CEP, told WTOP that the situation was “absurd”.

“I saw a tweet about high traffic volume, but nothing about them getting in the way of eligibility (requirements). … Idiots ”, they said.

A screen capture of what a reader saw when he tried to update the DC vaccine registration questionnaire on Thursday morning.

The reader said that he hit a wall when trying to update the website, “but the main website still allows you to click on the questionnaire as if there are commitments”.

Another reader, who is also under 65 at a priority zip code, said he was able to schedule an appointment through the DC call center at 855-363-0333 – but received the wrong address and needed to find the correct location through Google Maps.

Shortly after 10 am, the DC Department of Health tweeted that all online appointments were scheduled.

“We know that this morning was very frustrating for many people. We are working with Microsoft to understand why the heavy traffic caused some qualified individuals to fail to get through, ”tweeted the agency.

Cielo Contreras, who said he was on the list of eligible new DC residents, told WTOP’s Megan Cloherty that she was excited to be able to register because she is pregnant, and her doctor warned her about the dangers of COVID-19 for pregnant women, but not got through the website.

She said she started updating the site just before 9 am

“And then it came up to fill out the questionnaire. And I did a lot of updating, it kept crashing ”, she said. “So, I would click on something, I would say, this is not available, I would have to update or go back. So, it took … several steps just to fill out the form. “

Contreras found the experience frustrating because DC “didn’t turn the button on or did anything on the website’s backend that would allow people in this new category to register.”

“It’s so hard?” she said, adding, “I think there must be a better way to tell people, ‘OK, you didn’t get it this time.'”

The DC Council tweeted its apologies to residents and said that “there was no excuse for the vaccine marking system not to allow under-65s with pre-existing medical conditions to register for consultations.”

Ward 7 DC board member Vincent Gray criticized the unsuccessful Twitter record, calling it “unacceptable”.

“I am very concerned about the impact this has had on everyone trying to register for a vaccination appointment,” he wrote. “I spoke with Dr. (LaQuandra) Nesbitt, and she also expressed her concern about the problems that residents faced this morning.”

The office of Ward 6 DC Council member Charles Allen said that “it will expand all updates this afternoon, ahead of release across the city tomorrow.”

On its coronavirus vaccine registration website, DC Health said it “will make approximately 4,350 additional consultations available” to eligible residents at 9 am on Friday.

According to the website, priority zip codes are concentrated in wards 5, 7 and 8 and include zip codes: 20422, 20011, 20017, 20018, 20002, 20001, 20019, 20020, 20032, 20593.

“Hopefully, DC will correct the site’s restrictions by Friday morning for those with pre-existing medical conditions. Maybe DC should limit Friday to ONLY RESIDENTS in DC, as today was very confusing, ”wrote another reader in an email to WTOP.

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