Raleigh, NC – A coronavirus vaccination application site that Wake County launched on Tuesday morning quickly crashed under the crowd of people trying to access it.
At 8:30 am, a phone line and website were launched, allowing Wake County residents age 65 and older to be put on a vaccination waiting list. Minutes later, people started reporting problems to WRAL News.
Coronavirus vaccinations in NC
One person said the phone number reproduced a message saying that the line was disconnected and that dozens of others were unable to load the tool from the web.
Wake County spokeswoman Stacy Beard said hundreds of thousands of people had visited the site in seconds, causing the crash.
“The volume is immense,” said Beard.
County officials said the elderly may have to wait, but will have a chance to apply for a vaccine. Wake County leaders created the waiting list system so that people didn’t have to wait in line to get a vaccine. Instead, once people are on the waiting list, they will receive a call when a vaccine appointment is available.
“We did our best to create a system that is friendly and integrated,” said Matt Calabria, Wake County Commissioner.
If you qualify for a vaccine, you can sign up for the waiting list by calling 919-250-1515 or visiting wakegov.com/vaccine.
Callers will be asked about eligibility, whether they have a primary care physician and their name, telephone number and email address. They will be added to the waiting list.
“This is not a first come, first served system. We are prioritizing those who need it most. If you are 75 or older, we are prioritizing you. We are also prioritizing people who used to be in the [Phase] 1The qualification, “said Calabria.
Phase 1A included healthcare professionals who treated COVID-19 patients and residents and employees of long-term care facilities. North Carolina recently overhauled its vaccination priority list and eliminated the Phase 1A designation.
As the county receives doses, those on the waiting list will be notified by phone, email or text message, and will have the opportunity to schedule an appointment, over the phone or online.
“We work with a private company to help us absorb much of the call traffic,” said Calabria. “We are doing the best we can to handle capacity through these public-private partnerships to handle call traffic. [Tuesday] how things are going, but we are optimistic and prepared as much as we can. “
The authorities hope to avoid problems reported at vaccination sites in other counties.
“We want to avoid what we saw in some other places, with long lines around buildings and risks created, especially for older people,” he said.
Calabria said that now is not the time to apply for Wake County residents who do not fall into the two categories eligible for the waiting list. Authorities said they already anticipate a high volume of calls and online applications.