As New York expands eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to millions more people, including those 75 years old and older, concerns are being raised about the steps it takes to register online for an appointment.
Harris Ton’s 85-year-old mother is among the new batch of New Yorkers now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. She stood in line — among many others — on Monday after making an appointment through one of the city’s websites.
But others who showed up at the Brooklyn Army Terminal vaccination site were left confused by a process too digitally advanced for them. Those who did not have an appointment were turned away and told to call the city’s new hotline if they’re unable to complete registration online.
The hopeful but rejected walk-ins illustrate how dependent the appointment process is on technology and digital literacy.
New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer on Sunday called the online vaccine registration process a "major problem," especially for older residents.
The [Health Department] site for signing up for a COVID vaccination is complex, burdensome, and buggy,” Stringer said on Twitter.
According to the comptroller, the Health Department’s website features a multi-step verification process just to set up an account. Then users looking to make a vaccine appointment have to complete a six-step registration process that includes as many as 51 questions or fields to fill out and requires uploading images of an insurance card.
6 comments:
Even when you jump thru all the hoops you still can't get an appointment. none available.
By the way 65 is now the age cutoff.
That's almost as complicated as renewing a rifle permit.
"can't get an appointment none available"
Did you check White, Black or Hispanic ?
If your white or live in NYC boundary's with no dependents on your F-1040 forget getting an appointment period.
My friend Otis got an appointment using the same computer--He's black and lives in East Elmhurst off Astoria Blvd.
I got "No Appointment Available"
So, the old farts who overwhelmingly voted for trump are now scrambling to get protected against this "hoax" disease....the one "Fearless Leader" said would disappear like a miracle.
Not nice to ridicule our elders, but this is rich with irony.
By late this month or early February, Johnson & Johnson's will be applying for emergency use of their single dose vaccine. By late March at least two more will likely be approved. The cumulative effect will be to relieve the shortages and thus ease access by spring.
You can track this here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
Rob in Manhattan
Hey Rob do us a favor,take the Chinese Clovis shot,I'll buy it for you.
The new york state vaccine finder takes you around in a circle. My dad, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT, mind you is 79 years old and would like a covid shot but when I go on the website, it takes you to a screen and then tells you "no appointments near you" then it has a button for covid vaccine pods and it will take you to the places where the vaccine is given in the schools and there is another place to press that will give you options of external sites (not given by the hhc) like a rite aid or pharmacies that offer the shots. However, slots in these pharmacies are all filled up as well. Also, there are no vaccine pods run by new york city in northeast queens. If you want a vaccine, supposedly the city med gives it but good luck getting an appointment for that place and there are chinese pharmacies that give it but good luck getting it from there even. So if you live in bayside or little neck, you are pretty screwed and have to go to Jamaica for the shots.
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