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Vaccine shortage may delay COVID-19 shots for people over 65 until June
The ability to make an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65 in Los Angeles County is becoming a confusing and frustrating process, met with unexpected delays.
LOS ANGELES - The ability to make an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for people over the age of 65 in Los Angeles County is becoming a confusing and frustrating process, met with unexpected delays.
Two days after it was announced that those 65 and older were now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in LA County, the appointment-making process continues to be complicated with difficult to maneuver and confusing websites.
LA County health officials said they were "overwhelmed," and are asking for patience.
So much patience, it is believed some may have to wait until June.
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Once you’re able to get through, all of the new LA County vaccination sites say there are no appointments available and that they are full.
Available days are often listed, but when you scroll on the appointment page, those appointments are then listed as unavailable with cryptic messages that read "the deadline has passed," when the apparent deadline is unclear.
There are dozens of supermarket sites also listed. On those websites, they don’t say full – but again when you try to book an appointment, the calendars are grayed out and nothing is available.
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Adding to the confusion, Ralphs is also listed. But on Wednesday, the site showed the COVID-19 vaccine wasn’t offered at any of their pharmacies.
On Thursday, it simply said, "no appointments are currently available."
Some seniors who were able to make appointments said when they arrived to receive a dose of the vaccine, they were told only healthcare workers were eligible. Others said Ralphs simply canceled their appointments with no explanation.
A spokesperson for the supermarket chain said they were working to make things right with customers.
Adding to the concern, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the director of LA County's Public Health Department warned there may not be enough vaccines available now.
"We don’t have lots of vaccines to push out. So, the first thing is, everyone who’s given a first dose is guaranteed that they will get allocated that second dose," Ferrer explained.
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