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BURLINGTON, Vermont (WCAX) – As of Monday evening, nearly 20,000 Vermonters aged 75 and over are now online for appointments for the coronavirus vaccine as tens of thousands scramble to sign up for their vaccine.
These 20,000 people are of the estimated 49,000 residents of Vermont eligible and are in addition to the thousands of long-term care facilities already vaccinated.
“That’s a lot of Vermonters,” Social Services Secretary Mike Smith said. “We are very happy with the response we got for this.”
Many managed to pass without a hitch, while others encountered obstacles. Thousands of people applied online and by phone, claiming it was a transparent process. But for others, it came with a few headaches. When the phones opened at noon, a crowd of calls flooded the lines, inundating nearly 400 operators.
Shirley Laskay, who lives with her husband in Newark, ran into problems early in the day.
“I called about five or six times and then he rang about 40 or 50 times,” Laskay said. “I called just before [WCAX] called and it indicated that all circuits are busy, please try again later. “
As expected from Heads of State, the wait times on the phone were long for some, while others we spoke with who did not want to be identified had problems applying online.
“Should I put my initial in the middle, shouldn’t I, did I do right, did I do wrong, what’s going on?” said a Vermonter.
The state says some have experienced problems due to mismatched information on emails and passwords. They always urge their friends and family to help their loved ones make an appointment if they can to avoid using the phone. However, as the day progressed many, like Laskay, who were originally stranded, eventually passed.
“I was only on hold for about 19 minutes and once I got through the lady was very helpful and very kind and we were able to get through everything quickly so it worked out well,” Laskay said.
While some may not have made it on launch day, state leaders point out that there is a lot of dating in the next 5 weeks for all 75 and over. In the coming weeks, appointments will be held at select Kinney Drug stores and 59 community vaccination sites in 39 cities and the state is receiving more doses of the vaccine.
“In the future, you will also be able to reach out to more health care providers,” Smith said. “As you sign up, you’ll see more healthcare providers that will be online.”
Once you arrive at your appointment and get your first photo, the staff will help you sign up for your second photo in a few weeks. The state estimates that it will take another 5 weeks before the next age group opens for dating, namely people aged 70 and over.
You can register for the vaccine online at this link. You can also call 855-722-7878 to make an appointment. The call center will be open Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Remember, if you log in, you need to create an account first. Then you will receive an email with your patient ID. Then you can log back into the state website and schedule your appointment. You will then receive another email confirming the date, time and location of your shooting.
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