Gardnerville resident Janet Kemp said she has been trying to find an appointment for a vaccination since it was announced they were available for residents 70 or older on Jan. 13.
The 87-year-old doesn’t own a computer or a cell phone and has found it difficult to even contact anyone to help her make an appointment.
“I have tried for two weeks to get my name on any list to get the covid virus shot,” Kemp said on Tuesday. “I, along with thousands of others do not have a computer, do not have a cell phone and cannot get on any list.”
Kemp said she went to the Douglas County Community & Senior Center to get help making an appointment and was given a form to fill out. She said it was suggested she might try Smith’s where she was turned away after they said she had to make an appointment.
On Monday she filled out the form and returned it to the senior center, but with no way of knowing when appointments will become available she expressed a sense of hopelessness.
“This is not fair to the thousands of us who don’t have a computer,” she said. “They won’t even take a telephone number.”
ImmunizeNevada.org is encouraging residents to check on seniors to help them work out a plan to get vaccinated.
Seniors without access to Internet or who require additional assistance may call the Douglas County Senior Center at 782-5500, ext. 3
In an interview that aired Tuesday night on Douglas County NGBN TV, Public Health Preparedness Manager Jeanne Freeman said 1,362 received their first shot on Saturday.
“The vast majority were seniors,” Freeman said.
On Jan. 13, residents 70 or older were eligible to receive a vaccination. To be fully effective, two doses are required. Those who were vaccinated on Saturday will return to the Carson Valley Inn in mid-February.
Freeman said Tuesday that appointments for vaccinations will be posted as the health agency receives more doses of vaccines.
“It’s based on the allocation we receive every week,” she said. “We place those orders on Tuesdays and don’t find out what’s coming in until Thursday.”
She said that she couldn’t predict when the next group of people will be eligible for vaccinations.
Freeman said that the agency won’t be able to move to the next group for vaccination until they’ve made significant progress on the current group.
In addition to residents 70 years or older, this group includes educators, childcare workers and higher education staff.
Reviews for Saturday’s mass vaccination event ranged across the gamut.
Minden resident Cheryl Bricker said that while they had to wait in line, she came prepared with snacks and a Kindle while husband Cliff negotiated curves at 2 mph.
“We had a lot of time to witness the kindness of sheriff, fire and support personnel,” she said in a letter to The R-C. “The vaccination was simple and quick. When we approached the 15-minute wait zone, doctors distinguished by their red vests visited with us and after a period of time released us.”
Gardnerville Ranchos resident James Joseph said he was told to arrive at 11:15 a.m. and made it to the Carson Valley Inn parking lot at 10:50 a.m. He said it took until 12:37 p.m. to get his shot.
“To say there was a scheduling problem when you drive through in your car to get your shot at 12:37 p.m. with an 11:15 a.m. appointment is an underwhelming understatement to be kind,” he said. “It also did not help to have no information ahead of time as to how or where to get in line.”
There are almost 169,000 residents in Douglas, Carson, Lyon and Storey counties. According to the U.S. Census about 39,000 of those residents are 65 or older.
Freeman encouraged residents to check at www.gethealthycarsoncity.org for vaccination schedules and to sign up.
The Centers for Disease Control reported distributing another 51,075 doses to Nevada as of Tuesday. Up until this week, Nevada was the state with the second lowest number of doses distributed per 100,000. On Tuesday morning, the state moved up two places and is now the fourth lowest on the list.
The Silver State has administered 164,362 of the 338,025 doses it has received so far.
