Riverside County Vaccine Rollout Hindered by People Not Eligible for Appointment, Health Officials Say

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) – The line of health professionals and those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine wrapped around the block outside a clinic in Riverside Wednesday morning. Some people said they had to wait more than an hour and a half.

“What’s the point of making an appointment when we all have to wait in this line,” said a Temecula resident whose mother tried to register for an appointment online but was told she had been placed on a waiting list and had to register again. later.

“It appears to be an ongoing story going from federal to state to local government just because they are ill-equipped and insufficiently prepared to deal with this pandemic,” added the Temecula resident.

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Part of the problem, according to Riverside County public health officials, is that many who did indeed apply online were not really eligible based on the current level.

“Now that vaccination clinics are opening, we are getting people on those appointment schedules who don’t qualify,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung of the Riverside University Health System.

Riverside County is increasing the availability of vaccines because the state of California has now made everyone 65 and older eligible. This afternoon, county health officials announced clinics at places like Corona High School starting Thursday. These facilities offer vaccines by appointment only, which must be listed on the county website for vaccine distribution.

But Dr. Leung said partnerships with pharmacies are needed to make the vaccine more widely available.

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“We think the only way we can vaccinate people in such a short time is with the help and partnership of everyone,” said Leung.

Meanwhile, pharmacies say they are willing to help distribute the vaccine on a wider basis. Many pharmacies in California will receive their first shipments of the vaccine on Thursday.

“There is a pharmacy within five miles of 90% of Americans,” said Steve Anderson, president of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. “Pharmacies have the capacity to meet the demand for 100 million doses of vaccine in just one month.”