Every time I open my Facebook app on my phone and start scrolling, I see photos of people holding up vaccine cards and smiling, showing off a Band-Aid on their arm.
I hate to admit it, but I am seriously jealous.
I cannot wait to roll up my sleeve and get my #FauciOuchie, the social media slang term for the COVID-19 vaccine.
As a healthy 24-year-old, I know I am far back in the line for a shot, but that doesn’t mean I am not in line. According to the Jefferson County Health Department, that line is 45,000 deep and growing. And that’s just the line at the Health Department. That doesn’t include those who have signed up through Comtrea, Mercy, BJC, SSM Health and at local pharmacies.
On Feb. 11, the Health Department opened a registration form for a Feb. 16 vaccine clinic and 180 time slots were claimed in under two minutes, communications specialist Brianne Zwiener said.
My phone is like my third hand and I don’t know if I could be that quick.
Because of this week’s snowfall, that clinic was rescheduled to Feb. 23 and the lucky people who had appointments will just get their shot a week later.
With the limited supply of vaccines, how does one get an appointment or even get on the list? If you’re wondering – and many of you are; you’ve been calling our newsroom to ask – here are some helpful hints.
Tip No. 1: Understand what phase you qualify for.
This can be very confusing, but all vaccine distributors must follow the criteria set up by the state.
The first phase is named “Phase 1A” and includes residents and staff of long-term care facilities and healthcare workers who deal with patients. They, understandably, get first dibs.
Here’s where it starts to get confusing.
Phase 1B, which should be called Phase 2, has three tiers.
The first tier includes first responders and emergency workers and those who work in public health infrastructure.
The second covers people considered at high risk of suffering severe complications from the virus – that’s you, if you’re at least 65 years old or have a chronic condition. The state currently is only allowing vaccinations up to that stage, which is Phase 1B Tier 2.
The next level, Phase 1B Tier 3, includes those considered “critical infrastructure,” which means teachers, communications workers, energy service employees and those who work at food processing plants.
The fifth level of Missouri’s plan? It’s ingeniously named Phase 2. (Because, I suppose, no one wants to think of themselves as being so… far … back in the line.) This phase includes “disproportionately affected populations” and people who are deemed to assist in economic recovery.
The last and final phase, “Phase 3” takes in everyone else.
For more details about the phases, the covidvaccine.mo.gov website goes into great detail.
Tip No. 2: Sign up everywhere you can.
The Health Department, Comtrea and Mercy are providing the most vaccines in Jefferson County, but BJC and SSM Health also have vaccine sign-ups, and pharmacies also are administering shots.
If you don’t mind the drive, sign up at places in St. Louis County. Most places are vaccinating people based on which phase they fall into, not their ZIP code.
Tip No. 3: Use a laptop or desktop computer if you have one accessible. I found it was easier to fill out forms with a bigger screen than the one my phone allows.
Also, as the late Regis Philbin would say, there is no shame in phoning a friend. If you know someone who might have an easier go with the technology, give them your info and have them sign you up.
The Health Department allows those interested in the vaccine to sign up by telephone as well as online. The hotline number is 636-789-8941 and it’s open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Zwiener said if you call and get an automated message, just call back later.
Whether you call or fill out the online form found at jeffcohealth.org, you will go on the same waiting list, she said.
Mercy also has an online form and hotline to sign up for the vaccine. The automated hotline is 1-833-364-6777 and the online form can be found at mercy.net/movaccine.
The only way to get on Comtrea’s list is filling out its online form at comtrea.org/vaccine-inquiry.
Nathanael Herbert, the agency’s marketing communications manager, conceded that one part of Comtrea’s form can be tricky. He said when selecting your date of birth, pick the year, month then the date. A question mark bubble next to the question will help guide you, he said.
While you can sign up everywhere, make sure to accept only one appointment for the vaccine.
There’s more help available. Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services announced that area agencies on aging will help people age 60 and older to complete online registration forms, provide transportation to appointments and place reminder calls for the second dose.
If you fall into that age range and need assistance, call 636-207-0847.
Tip No. 4: Keep your phone nearby. And stock up on your supply of patience.
I never know when the call or email might arrive for a vaccine appointment, so I’m keeping the ringer on my phone on high.
Lots of us want the vaccine and we should all get it, eventually. In the meantime, we will just have to wait in the line – fortunately, it’s a virtual line – together. Maintaining a 6-foot distance in a physical line would make for a very long queue.
