5.6 million calls block the telephone lines for registration of the WellMed COVID vaccine in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO – If you had trouble accessing the WellMed locations on the south and west sides of San Antonio this week, you weren’t alone.

On Wednesday afternoon, a whopping 5.6 million calls had been received since registration opened over the weekend, counsel Adriana Rocha-Garcia told KSAT.

WellMed previously told KSAT that the toll-free number (833-968-1745) was quickly blocked when members of the community tried to find spots for vaccinations.

Rocha-Garcia said 4,775 vaccines were delivered within three days at the Elvira Cisneros Senior Community Center operated by the WellMed Charitable Foundation on Southwest Military Drive and the Alicia Trevino Lopez One-Stop Senior Center on Culebra Road.

In total, 9,000 doses were available at the two facilities, but all slots are filled, according to WellMed officials.

When more slots open, city officials ask residents to call the same toll-free number between 8am and 8pm to make an appointment. Phones are answered seven days a week during the 12 hour period. If you can’t get through, city officials tell you to keep trying, as the lines receive hundreds of calls every minute.

The vaccination clinic in the Alamodome is also full. San Antonio city officials said in a press release last week that the registration for the free COVID-19 vaccine registry was full in just six minutes and there were more than 11,000 people on the registration website when it opened.

The Alamodome site can provide up to 1,500 vaccines per day. When more vaccines become available, the city will announce this through its social media channels.

San Antonio now has four massive vaccination centers that can administer nearly 30,000 vaccinations per week, including the Alamodome, two WellMed Clinics, and the University Health Mass Vaccination Clinic in Wonderland Mall. None of them have vaccines available at this time.

“There are currently more than a million people in Bexar County who are eligible for the vaccine,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger. “At two doses per person, it will take months to give vaccinations to all residents of Bexar County. The good news is that we are more than equipped to deliver every dose we receive, so the message is being sent to state and federal leaders that we need more – much more. “

In Texas, people who fall into the state’s Phase 1A and Phase 1B categories are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, including health professionals, residents of long-term care facilities, anyone over 65, and anyone 18 or older. parent with a chronic medical condition. Chronic medical conditions include cancer, kidney disease, COPD, heart disease, solid organ transplant recipients, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes.