Jackie, here in Ohio, they are still doing the 65 and older group, so I'm not eligible until the 60 and older is available. Our governor said they will still be doing the 65+ for several more weeks. They've been vaccinating teachers all month, and health care workers have already received theirs if they wanted it.

Here is the good news that came out earlier this week: The vaccine will start to becoming more available pretty soon. Drug companies Pfizer and Moderna said Tuesday they project a major increase in vaccine deliveries resulting in 140 million more doses being distributed over the next five weeks, saying they have solved manufacturing challenges. Pfizer currently distributes 9 million doses a week which is expected to climb to about 13 million doses per week by the beginning of April. Moderna is expected about deliver 10 million per week.The single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be authorized any time now and will provide 2 million doses immediately, then 20 million doses by the end of March and will continue to increase each month.

I saw progress in this already. Our county health department has been getting about 300 doses a week but have been notified that next week they'll receive 1,600. A nice big bump, and I hope that continues.

Keep checking to see if you can book an appt. i know its a pain in the ass, but my experience, with anything, is that you have to be persistent, even tho it can be frustrating. Eventually you'll get there.

Jack5ie, I'm as frustrated as you are! I live in MN and our system is a mess too. I called my primary care physician to see if they have a waiting list to get on. She told me they have 5,000 patients over 65 and they have received no vaccine so far. The U of MN where I go for cancer care has no vaccine either. My question is why aren't clinics among the first to get it when they know the age-group it's supposed to get to and have the ability to get in touch with them? I know of several people who have gotten the vaccine simply because they work in an office connected to a medical facility and never get near the patients! This is what happens when the government runs things.

I have put my name on a "vaccine connector" list but when I check it always says no appts. available. Last night on the local news they were talking to older people who don't have cell phones or computers. I don't know how they are supposed to get connected. Sorry about the rant, but I am really pissed.

Nkb, lots of good information you provided.

Today, President Biden marked 50 million vaccines in 37 days, so his promise of 100 million vaccines in 100 days is a couple weeks ahead of schedule.The Covid vaccine is #1 priority to current administration.Vaccine efforts were hampered at first due to previous administration not sharing information with current one. Bad weather was also a hindrance.

It's possible I may get frustrated by the time I'm eligible for the vaccine if I have trouble getting an appt, but right now I'm allowing a little more time for the coordinating of it all to kick into high gear. I can see it continually being improved.

I watched a segment on 60 Minutes a couple months ago about the distribution of the vaccine (Operation Warp Speed) and it's mind-bogglng how it all works. Consider watching it:

P.S. My husband and I both had Covid in January, it was rough, I was sicker than he was. We are grateful to be recovered.

My sister here in NJ was eligible before I was because she has diabetes but at first she could not find a place with available appointments either. She finally got an appt for this week at the Convention Center in Edison, through RWJB.

I have not tried again so not sure if I'm eligible yet. Not immune compromised and under 65.

My oncology nurse said even she had a hard time getting her appointment

in our county, Ca, many healthy young people got their vaccine, I don't know how they did! Actually i feel a bit safer when those cheaters get their vaccine ahead of others, because they are the ones who can't give up parties/ gathering etc and with few weeks of lockdown they got crazy cabine fever, not to mention many of them are antimaskerso we can be hopeful that they won't spread the virus then! Cancer patients are in tier 1C but a question is when is my turn! I am in virtual queue in our county Covid vaccine website and myturn and cvs, patiently waiting! Other concern is that I have to take off my medication 7 days before shot, and all appointments give a 3 days window, I can't take a risk taking off my medication with no guarantee getting appointment.

My 70+ parents in WI finally got theirs two days ago, after blind dumb luck trying multiple sites they managed to catch some appointments before they were announced in the media that vaccines were available at that site. They had to drive an hour and a half north but didn't seem to mind. Not cancer patients, but my dad has a ton of arthritis/degeneration problems and is on blood thinners etc. Absolutely zero communication from their health care provider about who was where in the list (dont call us, well call you), and their county is fairly rural so the doses are trickling in in sets of like 50 at a time.

I wonder (and hope) if they are just trying to push through with the current approach for now to get everyone shot, and roll out an improved system next fall (or use the existing flu vaccine approach) when this wave of demand is through and supply is consistent. I don't think any country got this right, other than maybe Israel, but they have a population less than the city of London, a centralised system, and guaranteed supply. You don't get conditions better than that to do it right.

thanks, Jackie, I saw this last night. The first time I tried, when they first rolled everything out, I was not coming up as eligible. But all the sites near me are saying they are booked, anyway. Some are saying they are only giving second doses right now

I’ve received both doses. I was able to get it because I’m also a first responder. I agree though, doesn’t seem like smokers should be moved up in priority based on that. Hopefully with the J & J vaccine almost on the market, the supply will only increase in the next several weeks/months. I pray for the day when everyone has access to it, and takes it

I know smoking is a choice but as far as I know, in most cases, people are not denied medical care because they chose to do something that endangered their health. Line jumpers are just selfish, period. I’m counting down to dose #1 on Wednesday

well not eligible for vaccine in CA yet for being < 65. In fact even though those of us who are < 65 with underlying conditions will become eligible on 3/15, I doubt I will get an appointment on 3/15. I just got an email from my provider saying they don't have enough doses for >65 year old, therefore unable to move onto other priority groups. in fact, they have canceled and suspended their 1st dost appointments.

Meanwhile, we have scandals like this. https://www.npr.org/2021/02/24/970176532/high-end-...

I am also personally aware of people jumped the line by claiming to be educators (they are not remotely close to be educators) or knowing the right doctor.

On top of this, every provider or mass site has a different online appointment system. Unless you are some kind of computer programer, good luck getting an appointment.

I just feel defeated. I have been self isolating since last march and I really hope 2021 is not another lost year.

Nkb,

I signed up with my turn. How do you check for open appts? I thought they contact you. I signed up with my County and also waiting to be contacted by UCD. Will be eligible for over 65 in March

California will start next phase 16-64 years include- quote: “16-49 years with underlying health conditions or disabilities which increases their risk for severe COVID-19“ pretty soon, the distribution plan is 70-80% of vaccines go to counties 20-30% to hospitals. Despite many hospitals are in list but in reality they only allocate vaccines to their own patients, I checked all hospitals in my country, they are deeply sorry! Also, in my county website there is no option to add health conditions or if the website ungraded to add this option what proof we should show? Nobody knows! Do pcp s send us invitations like UK and European countries? Again nobody knows! With all these factors I stick with my clinic, and I reminded them a couple of days ago that I am their responsibility!!! See what they do!

Veeder14- and others. When you first go on my turn.ca.gov or whatever your states first two initials are.gov you will be asked four or five basic questions and then told whether your group is eligible. then they will probably say there are no appointments would you like to sign up to be notified. and you say yes but then you refresh the page which is that little circular arrow and go through it again and see if there’s any appointments and do that multiple times per day. some people say do it after midnight if you’re awake then and you might be surprised that some thing pops up. Eventually they will contact you when appointments are available- if you rush to the site after being notified- they may be gone already. They did contact me but, I was already vaccinated- still it was reassuring. The county also eventually contacted me to say there were vaccines available at a large county site. Kaiser also contacted me recently and appointments were still available after they contacted me. My MO at Kaiser told me that they had a committee to decide which conditions were at most risk. I have neighbors who got together and shared the checking of sites and when they found a place with vaccine appointments they notified each other. I never heard from UCSF and when I tried to sign up for Walgreens they said they couldn’t verify my existence- don’t know if that means that they had never filled an rx for me since I am Kaiser or what? I never tried to sign up with CVS.

Another full time job! Good luck