With coronavirus vaccines being opened to Californians aged 50 and over on April 1, and with all residents aged 16 and over becoming eligible on April 15, you can be one of many people now struggling to find one. Query.
You may have scheduled an appointment away from where you live, or one at a time that you cannot make an appointment. And then you may have scheduled another appointment after finding one that is most convenient for you.
But scheduling more than one appointment for your first dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, may delay the goal of vaccinating as many people as possible to prevent serious illnesses and reduce hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19. , say health experts.
“When someone doesn’t cancel an appointment, it means that the appointment was made by someone else,” said Dr. Matt Willis, public health officer for Marin County.
“You are literally taking a dose from someone else,” added Willis.
The non-attendance rate in Marin County is between 5 and 10%. On a good day, Willis said, it’s 5% or less.
It is likely that many people looking for available slots have booked more than one at a time, which has become a “real challenge for us because we need predictability,” said Willis.
Once thawed from cold storage, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a relatively short shelf life. Failure to attend consultations results in a struggle by providers to avoid wasting doses.
In Marin County, extra doses are used for volunteers at vaccination sites or sent to long-term care facilities and county prison.
According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, vaccination sites administered by several health care providers have different protocols, but they all “plan aggressively” to ensure that doses are not missed.
“Many vaccinating entities have a list of eligible persons who can be called to be vaccinated at the end of the day,” said the secretary. “Almost 100% of the vaccines received each week are allocated for use in the next week.”
Canceling an unnecessary appointment is easy and can make a big difference. “Take it a step further for someone else’s sake,” said Willis.
Second doses are usually scheduled for when you make your first appointment or when you receive your first dose. If, for some reason, you are unable to attend, employees advise you to reschedule as soon as possible.
Here’s how to cancel an unnecessary appointment through different providers:
• For most providers, including counties and major health systems: Contact the vaccine supplier to cancel the appointment. Be sure to check your confirmation email, which usually includes a link to cancel your appointment.
• My turn: Follow the instructions in the email or text message you received confirming your appointment through the state’s registration system.
• CVS or Rite Aid: Click on the “Cancel your appointment” link in the vaccine appointment confirmation email.
• Safe way: Click on the link you received in a confirmation text. If you received a confirmation email, click on the “Schedule Control” button.
• Walgreens: Click the “Edit or cancel appointment” link in your confirmation email. You can also cancel through this website.
Jessica Flores is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores