A loophole that allowed people to register on others’ COVID-19 vaccine appointment link led to long lines and frustration outside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas on Saturday as many were turned down without a valid appointment.
City officials said they expected to administer about 2,300 vaccines to people on Saturday, as the city works to vaccinate people who are not on the Dallas County waiting list.
Several people said they waited in line for up to six hours to be turned away once they reached the convention center entrance.
Kathy Vickers said she and her mother were sent away after being told their appointment was not valid.
Problems with people receiving an appointment link and then forwarding it to friends and family have plagued the vaccination process in Dallas County, and now the city of Dallas.
Vickers said she didn’t realize she’d done anything wrong.
“Even though I filled out a form and got an email saying I was ready to go, I had everything they asked for and yet they said we weren’t in the system and sent me away”, Vickers said. “They put a big zero on my window here.”
In a written statement, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson acknowledged the issue of left-sharing and said he was “frustrated by the long delays and confusion” at the vaccination center Saturday.
“We also knew we would face some challenges, especially as the very limited supply has created a massive pent-up demand that no one can meet at the moment,” Johnson said in the statement. “But we are responsible and accountable for our problems, and we are working hard to resolve them. I heard from many of those affected yesterday and I want to say to them that we are sorry, and that we will do better . “
In his statement, Johnson said Saturday’s trial was a “different operation” from the first two days, which he said went “fairly smoothly.”
Tristan Hallman, the mayor’s head of policy and communications, said they started hearing about the long waiting times later in the afternoon. Johnson had visited the vaccination center Saturday morning with Congressman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
“While we were there we could see the hub was more packed than the days before, but they were also trying to get through twice as many people,” Hallman said.
To address some of the issues, Hallman said the city will begin the vaccination process on Tuesday, two days earlier than this week. The city was assigned an additional 4,875 doses of vaccine over the next week.
He said the city is also working with Dallas County on the left-sharing issue, which the county has also encountered. County Judge Clay Jenkins announced a new QR code system on Thursday to solve the nomination problem.
Do you want to get on a vaccine waiting list?
As the state begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines for those in stages 1A and 1B, the county health departments have started waiting lists for those seeking to be vaccinated.
You can now register to receive the vaccination in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. Links are below:
Waiting list links: Collin – Search waiting list | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant
You don’t need to be a county resident to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in that county – registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without Internet access, Tarrant County also takes telephone registrations at 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS vaccine hotline at 469-749-9900. In Denton County, call 940-349-2585.
City spokeswoman Roxana Rubio said that 30% of people who arrived at the drive-thru facility on Saturday were rejected because they signed up for a forwarded link, found the link in a different way rather than direct communication from the city. or not met eligibility criteria to be vaccinated.
Rubio stressed that once people register on the Dallas County waiting list, they would be notified directly by the city if they have an appointment to receive a vaccine.
If they make an appointment in any other way, they shouldn’t get a vaccine, Rubio said.
Rubio said a small number of people with valid appointments were sent away late Saturday night after the vaccines ran out. A final issue on the affected people wouldn’t be available until Sunday, she said.
The city said people with valid appointments who were declined would be contacted to get a priority appointment at the next assignment.
Just before 8 p.m. Saturday, Janice Wagner waited in her car outside the center, not knowing if she would come in for a vaccine.
“I don’t know how long we’ll be here,” Wagner said. “This is very confusing.”
Martha Pickett shared photos from the start of her trip around 1:30 pm until she finally got a vaccine at 7:00 pm. She said the lack of information outside the center was frustrating.
She encouraged anyone with an appointment at the convention center to fill their car with a full tank of gas.
Pickett said once inside the facility, the vaccination process went smoothly and praised the efforts of the first responders helping people vaccinate.
The city said there was more traffic around downtown on Saturday due to a higher demand for weekend appointment times, along with people showing up early or those without an appointment.
Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows where COVID-19 vaccines were shipped through the state. Click on a marker for information about each location. Use the “plus” and “minus” signs below to zoom in and out on the map.