My mother turns 91 in two days and lives in Los Angeles by herself. She cannot yet access a COVID-19 vaccine and there is no waiting list. I communicated with 5 doctors, 2 nurses, and her insurers, Medicare and Blue Cross to try and sort this out. Here's what I learned:
No one has a clue what to do.
Her primary care giver needs his electronic medical records company to tell California Immunization Registry to let him get and administer vaccines. But his electronic medical records company is overwhelmed and said they'd get back to him.
Her primary care giver needs his electronic medical records company to tell California Immunization Registry to let him get and administer vaccines. But his electronic medical records company is overwhelmed and said they'd get back to him.
Three hospital chains that have the vaccine in her area are still only giving shots to their employees. None had a system in place to expand to non-employees.
Her insurers have no idea what to do.
Her insurers have no idea what to do.
One nurse told me she is still unclear how she can get the vaccine, and she's ahead of my mother in the prioritization line.
Now consider this: My mother has me. What about all the other elderly people who have to do this on their own and can't navigate this fractured, cold, indifferent system?
To quote from Yeats, the falcon cannot hear the falconer...the centre cannot hold.
To quote from Yeats, the falcon cannot hear the falconer...the centre cannot hold.
My mother will, eventually, get vaccinated. Others I suspect will throw up their hands in frustration and say to hell with it. I understand that demands outstrip supplies. What I don't understand is why there is no system, no hotline, no coordinator. Nothing. In California.
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