Residents were disappointed with COSA’s registration process for the Covid-19 vaccine

San Antonio – Thousands of residents were disappointed Saturday morning after learning that all 9,000 slots were occupied within minutes of registering online to get the Covid-19 vaccine at the Alamodome vaccination site.

“At 8:58 AM, 8:59 AM I had coffee in my hand and sat in front of the computer all set with my hands on the keyboard, ready to log in,” says Arlene Converse, 71. “I logged in and the site wouldn’t load and then at about 9:02 am, it loaded and when it loaded, bam! The registry is immediately full. “

The 9,000 available slots for next week were seized within six minutes of opening registration, according to city officials. More than 11,000 people were on the city’s registration website when it opened at 9am

The vaccination site at Alamodome will begin administering the vaccines on Monday.

Converse was eligible to receive the vaccine after Phase 1B kicked off January 4. She’s having a hard time getting close to the vaccine.

“I was extremely ready and excited to learn about this registration process,” said Converse. “I had the feeling that they finally hit the nail on the head. This is what everyone wanted, but it also seemed to fail. “

She said it was a tough battle to get through the other stairs.

“We tried everything when they came out with the San Antonio layout,” said Converse. Nobody answered the phones. None of the websites would work. They were not set up for questions or registrations. Every call we made the week before has failed. They were overwhelmed so they couldn’t take all the calls and websites weren’t set up to answer questions. “

Converse said she had a moment of hope, but that went south too.

“I managed to get one person on the line on January 4,” said Converse. “A real person. I found out I was not a first aider so they said I couldn’t get it. I tell the lady that I was just as eligible as a first aider from January 4th, but they wouldn’t. That caused more frustration. “

Converse said her main problem is that there seems to be a lack of communication.

“We have no idea of ​​the status of anything,” said Converse. “We are very disappointed because there is no one to talk to or ask for information. I know some places are upset that people show up and queue without calling, but they do because no one answers the phones. They hope to get information or possibly get the vaccination. “

Converse said getting the COVID-19 vaccine is so important to her.

“Getting the vaccine allows me to get on with my life,” said Converse. “I just spent a year of my life in isolation. I have not been with my grandchildren. I spent Christmas alone. I didn’t go anywhere for Thanksgiving. I had a friend who invited me, but I didn’t go. They have convinced us so much that when we go somewhere we are so prone to getting the virus that it is therefore important for me to move on with my life to reconnect with the people I care about. please give and be able to see them. “

She said she encouraged everyone to also get the vaccine.

“Although many people are hesitant about getting this vaccine, which I totally understand. I’m not thrilled about getting a vaccine, but I’m excited that we will have the opportunity to have a vaccine that will allow us to live normal lives again. “

Converse said she’s mostly concerned about the elderly during this process.

“I work full time, I’m 71, I’m healthy and I’m a tech,” said Converse. “But there are many elderly people who do not have the technical experience. They cannot download apps on their phones or access the computer to log in. That falls on their grandchildren, but it can be difficult because their family members have their own lives and jobs and things to worry about. Communication has been lost. There must be a better way to register. “

As more vaccines enter the city of San Antonio and Bexar County, more registration openings will become available. For now, city officials are urging patients among residents as more vaccines become available.

“We received 187,000 calls today at 9:00 am and an overwhelming number of website visits,” City Manager Erik Walsh said in a statement. “Thank you for your patience. We understand that some may be frustrated that more doses are not available, but we are sending the message to state leaders that we are equipped to deliver every dose we receive. We look forward to commencing our operation Monday and will keep the community updated as we receive more information from the state. “

Those eligible to receive the vaccines include health professionals and residents of long-term care facilities known as Phase 1A and Phase 1B, which may include residents over the age of 65 or residents aged 16 and over with a chronic medical condition .

These chronic medical conditions include: cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), heart disease, solid organ transplantation, obesity and severe obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease and type 2 diabetes.

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