There was definitely a sequence events leading up to our (finally) obtaining COVID 19 vaccine appointments! We weren’t alone. Many people were going through the same thing.
It Began in January
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were FDA-approved for emergency use at the end of December. In early January, states began receiving their initial supplies of the vaccine. Coincidentally, Lynn had a doctor’s appointment. We already knew we were in the priority list to receive the vaccine, but decided to discuss the process with our doctor.
Our Primary Care Physician was glad that we were eager to receive it. He had just been to a virtual conference with several physicians in key areas, and was hearing them say that the vaccine rollout was nothing short of a miracle, and that it would “go down in history” as a major medical breakthrough.
Front-line medical staff were receiving it then. We asked him if anyone was refusing to take it. He said that yes, there were some. I asked if they would eventually mandate it. He said no … but said that they were already mandating the flu vaccine for their medical staff, so he wouldn’t be surprised if it was eventually mandated.
We asked him about Peacehealth’s process for scheduling the vaccine. He wasn’t sure when they would get to us; it was all dependent upon supply (this is where the whack-a-mole began). Perhaps June? (I thought … really???) So … we left the appointment with the understanding that it could be spring before we received it.
I continued to follow the news and the Department of Health updates in Facebook and through their website. Eventually, they rolled out a centralized system for people to register, and receive proof of eligibility for the vaccine when it was appropriate. Lynn and I jumped right on it.
We kept the images in an easy-to-locate place on our smart phones. We were never asked to present them. I guess we just looked the part (Old).
Not too long after that, we received emails from PeaceHealth that they were beginning vaccine distribution (depending upon supply) and provided a contact email. I emailed them right away to let them know we were eligible. They said we would be notified when they got to us. They also said that if the opportunity came up to receive the vaccine from a mass vaccination site, to go ahead and get it.
We waited, and waited some more. In early February, we started hearing about people getting the vaccine. Then, information was added in the Whatcom County Health Department website with links to sites that were administering the vaccine. I began checking them several times a day. No vaccine. Nothing in Lynden. Peacehealth was “keeping a waiting list for their patients.” So … wait.
We also heard about people just getting lucky and showing up … and getting the vaccine. We also heard of waits of 3-4 hours to get it. And of driving miles, only to be told “we don’t have any vaccine.” We knew that people older than us (along with frontline workers) were receiving it first, and that was as it should be. Sometime in early February, we began receiving leads.
One really good one was the creation of a website by volunteer developers that centralized the vaccine availability process. I checked Covidwa.com several times a day. Safeway Pharmacy in Lynden was listed but it never had any vaccine. Island Drug in Whidbey Island was listed as having vaccine, but there were never any appointments available through their portal.
A pharmacy in Everson had the vaccine. Oh wait … too late. They don’t have it anymore. Call back in a week.
Call right now! A pharmacy in Ferndale has vaccine! I located their website, and began checking their scheduling portal. After a few days, I was able to secure appointments for March 24. Hey, we were guaranteed now!
We read about a planned vaccination clinic at the local technical school, to be scheduled sometime in Mid-March. No registration info on that yet.
Let’s play some more Whackamole. One evening, our neighbor told us that someone had said that they received a vaccine at Sea Mar Community Health Centers. There was a clinic in Bellingham. The website said it was first come first served, and that they had vaccines. So the next morning, we left very early, prepared to wait if need be. However, they were only taking names on a clipboard. The attendant promised that we would be called back that day. We went back home and eagerly waited. Never received a call.
Our neighbors had also signed up to receive a call from Sea Mar. They were told that the vaccine supply would be given out that next day AND the day after that. So … we decided to see if they would call us, and they eventually did!
We received our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Saturday, February 27. We were glad to receive it and our efforts were rewarded. Lynn noticed that they were accommodating people that had signed up on the list, and also walk-ins. I guess they just got lucky. All of Sea Mar’s locations are now out of the vaccine. BUT … shortly after we returned home, we received an email from Peace Health telling us to arrange for an appointment. So … we are convinced that eventually, we would have been able to get an earlier appointment somewhere.
We made sure to let PeaceHealth know that they could remove us from their waiting list, and contacted the pharmacy in Ferndale about cancelling the March 24 appointment.
We are thrilled to receive the vaccine. It will go down in medical history as a major achievement. Now to see how all of this impacts the case counts!
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