My parents in Southern California received their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine (literal tears of joy!) but they were not given an appointment for their 2nd doses because the state is unsure there will be adequate supply. (Knot of dread in the pit of my stomach!)
The pharmacy won't even contact them to offer an appointment and there aren't any currently available in the 4-week window for the Moderna shot. They were advised to just keep calling every single day and hope something opens up. This is...a terrible system.
My parents have so many advantages compared to other Angelenos. They are not frontline workers. They can stay safe at home while they wait. They have phones and computers they can use to keep checking for appointments. What are less privileged people over 65 supposed to do?
And at the appointment itself, they spent 1 hr + waiting in an enclosed space with a bunch of other people. Even though everyone was masked, it's the most close contact they've had in months & made them very nervous. Supermarket pharmacies are not built for social distancing!
As my colleagues have reported, the systems set up to make sure people get their second shots range from rudimentary to nonexistent. Many, like my parents, are handed a piece of paper and told, "Good luck!" politico.com/newsletters/fu…
AGAIN, THIS IS VERY BAD.
A good friend who works in health care has stressed how hard it is to get people to go to follow up appointments even for very serious medical conditions. And that's with a doctor calling/emailing them! Imagine putting the onus entirely on the patient.
A good friend who works in health care has stressed how hard it is to get people to go to follow up appointments even for very serious medical conditions. And that's with a doctor calling/emailing them! Imagine putting the onus entirely on the patient.
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