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Wednesday’s news that people 65 and older could now get the coronavirus vaccine began to spark some hope for millions of older Californians and their families.
But on Thursday, they were greeted not with needles or appointments, but with busy phone lines, overwhelmed websites and medics who said they had no idea when they might be able to vaccinate their patients. elderly patients. The information seems rarer than the vaccine itself.
Patients at Kaiser Permanente said they received a message that they should wait up to four hours to speak to anyone who could make an appointment.
They were luckier than the patients at Sutter Health, who said they found the phone lines to be down, as well as the health care provider’s website.
And Stanford Health Care patients said their website and mobile phone apps worked, but offered little information on the availability of vaccination for the elderly.
Frustration was mounting Thursday amid a rollout of spray vaccines in the Bay Area and across California.
“There is no information available or no one who can tell us about it,” said Vijay Khasat, an 80-year-old insulin-dependent diabetic from Hayward, in an email. “We contacted our health care providers who also gave us the silent treatment.”
Carolee Ziegenhagen, 74, from Alameda, said her sister in Florida had her first shot last week and the second was scheduled for February 3. .
“I would love to know when I can register for mine,” she says.
In Richmond, Mayor Tom Butt said he was unable to get any information from his supplier, Kaiser, on when he could sign up for a vaccine.
Butt, who is 76, said he registered on the Contra Costa County website on Wednesday morning.
“I’m a little baffled not to hear anything from Kaiser,” he said. “I went to their website and couldn’t find anything there.”
Late Thursday afternoon, Kaiser Permanente of northern California announced it would contact all members 65 and older to discuss vaccine availability, but warned that the supply was limited.
A spokeswoman for Sutter Health admitted Thursday evening that the phone lines were overwhelmed and the website issues were under investigation, although both are working. Patients eligible for vaccines should now be able to schedule them.
“At this time, Sutter is prioritizing the most vulnerable populations in the state, including those aged 75 and older and our community health workers,” said spokesperson Angeline Sheets. Sutter’s telephone appointment line will be staffed over the three-day weekend and scheduling will soon be available through its online portal.
We are committed to vaccinating our members as quickly as possible, given the available supply. Due to the high demand, we are experiencing high call volumes and longer wait times. We appreciate your patience as we work hard to meet this request. https://t.co/QjsqxfTBxN
– KPNorthernCal (@kpnorcal) January 14, 2021
At UCSF, spokeswoman Elizabeth Fernandez said the health system had sent messages to its members about the status of vaccines, including the “limited and sporadic” supply. “We are almost done immunizing our health workers,” she said. On Friday, she said, “We are starting with our primary care patients aged 75 and over, and we hope to move up to patients aged 65 to 74 soon.
San Francisco supervisor Matt Haney said the city was wrong in relying on health care providers – hospitals and doctors – to provide the vaccinations. Instead, to make sure vaccines go into guns faster, he said the city’s health department should launch mass vaccination sites in places like stadiums, arenas, stadiums, arenas, and parking lots and parks, as have other cities.
“The current situation is just outrageous,” he said. “We’ve known this for months, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear plan for widespread public health release.”
A representative from the San Francisco Emergency Management Department said the health department was immunizing patients over 65 in the city’s health network at two clinics. “As new vaccines become available, they will be rolled out to other clinics,” the representative said, adding that the city “is working with private health care providers” to find additional facilities and speed up. the vaccination.
Adding to the frustration of older Bay Area residents, knowing that friends from other counties and states are getting vaccinated while they wait or continue to refresh their web browsers.
While people over the age of 75 can get vaccinated in Fresno County, Haney said, “my parents, who are 92 and 93” and live in San Francisco, can’t even get information. “
Some of the lucky few who can get answers aren’t very happy with them.
Allen Podell, an 83-year-old engineer, lives in Palo Alto, 2 miles from Stanford Hospital. But when he started digging deep to find out where he could get the shot, Stanford Health recommended Pinole, Danville, and southern San Jose – all the long hauls he’s unwilling to make.
“So I’m just nailed,” he said. “No one else is going to take me, so I have to wait for Stanford, but they searched the ball again. I’m 83, almost 84, so I learned to be patient. But it really is a matter of life and death for us. I can imagine these guys sitting down playing the violin.
“We are held accountable to our local county for our vaccine supply and the people we immunize. We were told yesterday that we could start vaccinating patients aged 75 and over. We are actively preparing for the opportunity to vaccinate our patients, ”said Dr Niraj Sehgal, chief medical officer of Stanford Health Care in a statement.
Merle Kahree, 71, a retired television reporter, lives in San Francisco, where his doctor told him he would not get the vaccine until June.
“And that’s just the first dose,” she says.
Kahree said she knew the vaccine distribution would be slow, but believed there would at least be some background information so people knew what to expect.
“I just want some advice,” she said. “How long do I have to isolate myself at home? But I know I’m lucky. I’m healthy – I think – and I have a roof over my head.
Michael Cabanatuan is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ctuan
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