BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – On Monday night, nearly 20,000 Vermonters aged 75 and over are in line for coronavirus vaccine nominations, while tens of thousands struggle to apply for the injection.
Those 20,000 are out of about 49,000 eligible Vermonters and on top of thousands in long-term care facilities that have already been vaccinated.
“There are a lot of Vermonters,” said Secretary of Human Services Mike Smith. “We are very excited about the response we received for this.”
Many managed to pass without problems, while others encountered some obstacles. Thousands signed up online and over the phone, saying it was a perfect process. But for others, it came with some headaches. When the phones opened at noon, a crowd of calls flooded the lines, flooding nearly 400 operators.
Shirley Laskay, who lives with her husband in Newark, had problems earlier in the day.
“I called about five or six times and then rang about 40 or 50 times,” said Laskay. “I called just before [WCAX] called and said that all circuits are busy, try again later. “
As expected from state leaders, the waiting time on the phone was long for some, while others we spoke to who did not want to be identified had trouble signing up online.
“I must put my middle initial, shouldn’t I, did it right, did it wrong, what’s going on?” said a Vermonter.
The state says that some have had problems because of incompatible information in emails and passwords. They are still asking friends and family to help their loved ones make an appointment, if they can, to avoid using the phone. However, as the day went on, many like Laskay, who were originally blocked, ended up succeeding.
“I was only on hold for about 19 minutes, and when I finished, the lady was very helpful and kind and we were able to resolve everything quickly, so it worked well,” said Laskay.
Even though some may not have passed on launch day, state leaders emphasize that there are many commitments in the next 5 weeks for everyone aged 75 and over. In the coming weeks, consultations will be held at some Kinney Drugstores and 59 community vaccination sites in 39 cities where the state receives more doses of the vaccine.
“In the future, there will be more health care providers that you can turn to,” said Smith. “As you sign up, you will see more healthcare providers online.”
Once you get to your appointment and get your first chance, the team will help you sign up for your second chance in a few weeks. The state estimates that it will take another 5 weeks before the next age group is opened for consultations, which is people aged 70 and over.
You can register online for the vaccine at this link. You can also call 855-722-7878 to make an appointment. The call center will be open from Monday to Friday, from 8:15 am to 5:30 pm, and from Saturday to Sunday, from 10 am to 3 pm
Remember, if you are online, you must first create an account. Then, you will receive an email with your patient’s identification. Then, you can log back into the state website and schedule your appointment. You will receive another email confirming the date, time and location of your photo.
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