As I mentioned in a recent post, Monterey County, where I live, is behind almost every other part of the country in achieving vaccinations.
Enter CVS.
Last Friday, my wife, Rena, got on a user-friendly CVS site to see where she could get vaccinated. She was still working with it when I left for work. I have a 10-minute commute. A minute after I arrived at work, she called and told me that she had an appointment for the following Monday, Feb. 15, in Capitola, about 45 minutes north of us. She told me how to get on and find an appointment. I got on the site and it seemed that everything had been taken. I called her and told her that.
Rena said, “You always give up too early. Let me try it. How far are you willing to drive?”
“Quite far,” I said. I was picturing driving 2 or 3 hours to Modesto or Fresno. Ten minutes later she called back and had an appointment for me on the next day, Saturday, Feb. 13, in Santa Clara, a 75-minute drive each way. I drove up there the next day. I called a friend on the way, a fellow Canadian who had come with me to UCLA in 1972, and told him that I hadn’t been that excited since getting my green card. A couple of hours later, I got the Moderna shot.
Thank you, CVS. I like you so much more than the Monterey County government.
READER COMMENTS
Thomas Hutcheson
Feb 19 2021 at 6:55am
Where did CVS get the vaccine? Montgomery county government was not involved? What is the policy implication of the comment?
Alan Goldhammer
Feb 19 2021 at 3:09pm
CVS and Walgreens are the two principal distributors of the vaccine and were responsible initially for taking care of all assisted living sites. In many states pharmacies are handling vaccinations in addition to hospitals and state run programs.
Alan Goldhammer
Feb 19 2021 at 8:23am
Most of the pharmacies in our area have limited supplies of vaccine and can only do a small number each day. Maryland just opened two mass vaccination centers staffed by the National Guard. I was able to schedule appointments for the two of us just over a week ago. However the flaw in the system is that you cannot do ‘couples’ appointments. I registered my wife first and when I went to set up my appointment all the slots for this past Wednesday were filled. I got my appointment for yesterday (Thursday).
The vaccine site is at the Six Flags part just around the Beltway, 35 minute drive with normal traffic (normal traffic is seldom the case on the Beltway and we were slowed down in both directions). The site is well organized with eight vaccine stations and you don’t leave your car. From the time we got in line to vaccination was about 25 minutes followed by a 15 minute wait time. They check your birth date (or employment if you are in a specific category), appointment date and QR code to confirm you are eligible.
Unfortunately for me, the big winter storm that has paralyzed Texas hit yesterday and my appointment was cancelled. I received both an email and text on Wednesday night noting that the site would be closed on Thursday and that my appointment was automatically rescheduled for March 3. The State should have moved to set this site up much earlier than they did. By my calculation in counting cars and elapsed time they are able to vaccinate 120 people an hour compared to 40/day by local pharmacies.
Sometimes government gets things right!
Jon Murphy
Feb 19 2021 at 8:51am
I’m glad it’s worked out for you.
Here in MD, I’m having the Devil’s own time getting a vaccine. I’ve had two appointments cancelled on me because I’m not qualified, despite being told online and by the person checking me in I am qualified. The county is a hot mess. No one knows what’s going on.
Alan Goldhammer
Feb 19 2021 at 3:06pm
@Jon Murphy – the Maryland guidelines are indeed confusing as some counties have different requirements. The 1-A through 1-C guidelines are published and pretty explicit. Montgomery County Health Dept. is not vaccinating those in the 65-75 age group though everyone else is including pharmacies and some hospitals in the county. If you are a public school teacher you can get vaccinated regardless of age (my daughter is in that category and has already had her first shot over at Holy Cross). The apportioning of vaccines is complicated and some sites get more vaccine doses which advantages those within the hospital’s health system.
Jon Murphy
Feb 19 2021 at 3:39pm
See, that’s what I was told. Turns out, that’s not quite right. Frederick County has lots of confusions within. No one’s quite sure if it’s all public school teachers or just those face-to-face. So, the county tells me one thing, the person checking me in says the same thing, but the person administrating the vaccine denies me.
Alan Goldhammer
Feb 19 2021 at 4:04pm
That’s weird as educators are in Group 1B. My daughter is a special ed teacher in Howard County and had no problems getting her shot in our county. She just had to show current status as a teacher.
Jon Murphy
Feb 19 2021 at 4:10pm
‘Tis weird. I think its a Frederick County thing as my colleagues at Frederick Community College are facing similar issues.
Alan Goldhammer
Feb 19 2021 at 4:54pm
It must be a county thing. My daughter was told by her school that vaccination would be done by the nurse at the elementary school where she teaches. She got tired of waiting and went to Holy Cross as noted. The whole thing is so inconsistent. You might try to get vaccinated at a pharmacy outside Frederick County. I think you can also get vaccinated at Six Flags or the new site up in Baltimore. You just have to have proof of employment.
Jon Murphy
Feb 19 2021 at 5:40pm
I’m not driving to Baltimore or Six Flags. It’s just way too far. I’d like the vaccine, but I don’t need it that badly. I’m not high risk and i barely leave the house anyway.
Liam
Feb 19 2021 at 10:19am
Yes, David! Stoked for you.
Butch Howard
Feb 19 2021 at 11:19am
Patrick McKenzie (@patio11 on Twitter) is doing great work helping folks find locations to get vaccinated in California. Their listings might help folks find a location with shots available.
https://twitter.com/patio11/status/1351942635682816002
David Henderson
Feb 19 2021 at 11:23am
Thanks, Jon Murphy, Liam, and Butch Howard.
KevinDC
Feb 19 2021 at 2:54pm
First, I’m very glad you’ve been able to get the vaccine!
Second, when I first glanced at the headline for this entry this morning I was severely under-coffeed and thought it was a post “In Praise of CSV.” As in, a CSV file format. I actually thought to myself “I wonder what’s so great about comma separated values?” and that thought occupied my brain for way too long.
David Henderson
Feb 19 2021 at 6:50pm
Jon Murphy and Alan Goldhammer (above),
This is Hayek’s local knowledge in action. I love this.
ee
Feb 19 2021 at 6:53pm
Congrats David!! Real life is almost back for you 🙂
My wife had a success story getting her father vaccinated. He lives in VA, she booked an appt for him at a CVS in MD. I called a central CVS hotline and they confirmed that it was okay to cross state lines. My wife drove him 50 minutes, then they waited another 60 because the store was behind schedule. They did vaccinate my father in law!
In the neighborhood they saw anti-vax signs, which may explain why this CVS had availability. And my wife overheard two employees chatting together saying they didn’t want the vaccine.
David Henderson
Feb 19 2021 at 7:02pm
Thanks, ee. Great news for your father in law, too.
I’m betting that there won’t be enough anti-vaxxers to prevent us from getting to herd immunity. Fingers crossed.
Henri Hein
Feb 20 2021 at 1:57pm
Just want to chime in with the others and say I am happy to know you are safe(r). Also want to say, seems like you have an awesome wife!
David Henderson
Feb 22 2021 at 12:32pm
Thanks, Henri.
And re my wife, I agree. As Ronald Reagan once said, I married up.
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