Eligible persons asked to be patient with appointment-making process
With a new appointment-making process for COVID-19 vaccinations off to a rocky start on Monday, the North Georgia Health District (NGHD) is asking that eligible persons remain patient and continue using either a hot-line number or the NGHD website to make vaccine appointments in Gilmer, as well as other health district counties.
Monday, Jan. 11, was the first day that adults age 65+ and their caregivers, as well as police and fire personnel who’ve not already been vaccinated, could get their first dose. Vaccinations are also still being given to persons who work in clinical settings including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, EMS, environmental services and lab employees, as well as residents and staff of long-term care facilities.
The lone Gilmer vaccination site listed by the Georgia Department of Public Health is the county’s health department. A statewide listing of vaccine providers can now be found online at DPH.Georgia.gov.
“The main thing is that everyone who’s eligible and wants a COVID-19 vaccination from the six public health departments within our health district, including Gilmer, can be assured they will receive one. Appointments are being arranged (for vaccine) to be given at the health department in the county where a person lives or works,” stated Jennifer King, North Georgia Health District public information officer.
Also on Monday, the North Georgia Health District began offering an online appointment option through which persons can click a link to their county’s health department and schedule a vaccine appointment after filling out a short questionnaire.
By 9 a.m. that same morning, the server for the website had already been overwhelmed and crashed. The entire NGHD.org web address was still not functioning by noon on Tuesday.
“It is uncertain when our website will be available again, but we are working on a solution,” said King Monday afternoon.
The health district’s COVID-19 hotline -— 1-888-881-1474 — should be used to make vaccine appointments, King said. The hours for that call center are Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The hotline is also the number to call for scheduling a COVID-19 test.
The hotline call center serves all six counties in the region, and it, too, has been inundated with activity.
On the NGHD Facebook page, several people left comments Monday about calling the number, then waiting anywhere from 30 minutes to more than two hours without speaking to anyone about an appointment. Some calls were met with only a busy signal.
“Our call center is arranging these appointments as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience, but, again, we can assure that anyone who is eligible and wants a vaccination at the health department will have an opportunity to receive an appointment as quickly as possible,” King said.
King noted that COVID vaccine appointments are not being made in person at the health department.
“We found that because our limited health department staff needs to focus their efforts on providing COVID-19 vaccinations and observing clients for any possible reactions afterward, it is not possible for them to also take the time needed to schedule these appointments,” she added. “We also want to keep the number of people coming to the health department manageable in consideration of COVID-19 safety protocols.”
When contacted about whether the vaccine is being offered at Piedmont Healthcare locations in Gilmer and Pickens County, the Times-Courier was told that Piedmont has received a limited supply that’s only being made available to existing Piedmont patients who are eligible to receive it.
Per a statement issued by Piedmont:
“We are contacting patients to schedule appointments. All of this week’s appointments are full, and Piedmont is not conducting walk-in clinics. As additional supply becomes available, we will continue to contact patients to schedule additional appointments for vaccinations. Please do not call or visit Piedmont locations unless you have an appointment. Calling or visiting without an appointment or many hours before your appointed time interferes with our ability to provide patient care at this critical time.”
Busy first day
At the Gilmer Health Department, 180 patients received the COVID-19 vaccine Monday, Jan 11.
Staff sanitized between patients and required all who were vaccinated to wait 15 minutes in case of an adverse reaction, noted nurse manager Krystal Sumner.
Employees of the county public safety and sheriff’s departments helped direct traffic in and out of the facility.
“We had the community paramedicine team helping inside and some public safety folks helping the sheriff’s office with traffic. It was very busy and I believe that’s going to be the trend for what’s yet to come,” said Gilmer EMA Director Keith Kucera.
Jim Fredrickson was among those who got their first dose of the vaccine at the health department Tuesday morning.
“I’m 85 years old, so I’m in that category of people who are susceptible. I wanted to get in there early,” he said.
Fredrickson figured the 15-minute wait period following the vaccination actually took longer than it did for him to check in and receive the shot.
“I was impressed with the system,” he added.