Still, the new tool falls far short of the simple sign-up processes offered in other states; For example, residents of Massachusetts still have to navigate to the individual vaccination providers, where they can enroll and schedule an appointment, rather than registering through one central planning tool.
“It’s certainly better than it was,” said Senator Eric Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat who has sponsored legislation to upgrade the state’s online registration system, “but it would be pretty difficult to go anywhere other than upstairs. “
Work is still underway on the new site in Massachusetts. For example, it shows only available appointments at large-scale vaccination centers, such as Fenway Park, and locations managed by local health departments.
State officials said they are working to include appointment details from other sites, such as pharmacies, but note that there is no easy way to automatically update information from numerous other locations.
The new state website is just the latest adjustment by the Baker administration in managing the rollout of the vaccination effort in the face of tremendous demand and confusion. To reduce the risk of wasting shots that have a short shelf life after thawing, the state abruptly this week allowed people under the age of 75 to receive a vaccination when accompanying an eligible senior to a vaccination appointment.
Also Friday, Baker’s government reported that COVID-19 vaccinations had passed the 1 million mark. But the virus continues to take a heavy toll as the number of people who have died exceeded 15,000, officials reported Friday.
The state launched the Vaxfinder website after a barrage of complaints that the original website was confusing and difficult to use. Independent software developers stepped in to build alternative websites at their own expense. One of these called VaccinateMA was created by Zane Stiles, a private equity analyst at Bain Capital. Stiles uses a workaround to get updated planning from private vaccination sites: Volunteers he has recruited contact them directly by phone and enter the information.
And a software developer at technology company athenahealth who is on maternity leave, Olivia Adams, gained national attention for building another rival site, macovidvaccines.com.
Adams said she had met with several Massachusetts officials this week to discuss her efforts. The officials told her the state had contracted a computer vendor to create the new website “a while ago,” and did not ask for her help. “I didn’t really have any input,” Adams said.
After reviewing the Vaxfinder tool, Adams said, “I think it’s an improvement for the state, but I don’t think it’s more functional than my site currently.”
Massachusetts isn’t the only state where citizen volunteers have created easier-to-use vaccination sites. The VaccinateMA built by Stiles is inspired by a similar private effort in California, VaccinateCA. And multiple individuals and organizations in New York State have gathered alternative vaccine seekers.
But in some states, such as West Virginia, none of this is necessary. There, residents fill out a form on a state website to be placed on a waiting list for the vaccine, for example. People will be notified by email, phone call, or text message when a dose is available at a nearby location.
Those who cannot make it to the proposed date will be put back on the waiting list. People without Internet access can call a toll-free phone number to make an appointment.
During a briefing on the new Massachusetts site on Friday, officials would not commit to offering a centralized notification, but said further improvements will be made to the site.
In contrast, the legislation introduced by Lesser and others would require the state to establish a central online portal where people can sign up for a vaccination by completing a single application. Lesser said Governor Charlie Baker has the authority to build a central portal, but that if he doesn’t, “we’ll enforce it legally.”
The Vaxfinder tool has information for users to determine if they are currently eligible for the vaccine, and translation services are available by clicking the Select Language icon at the top of the page. Vaxfinder will also be accessible on mobile devices, officials said.
The site provides additional detailed information on each vaccination site, including access and parking instructions, accessibility accommodations, the type of vaccine offered, and public transportation options.
The state also rolled out a 211-on-call line for vaccine reservations this week, especially for residents 75 and older who struggle to book an appointment online. However, the 211 call center is only available between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.
Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, said these limitations make it more difficult for the elderly and those in disadvantaged communities to use the call center.
“The state has only started working on that call line so late in the rollout that we are behind the eight ball,” Pavlos said.
Hiawatha Bray can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeTechLabTravis Andersen can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe