Since coronavirus vaccines were opened for Californians age 50 and older on April 1, and all residents 16 and older became eligible on April 15, you may be one of many people who now they struggle to find a date.
You may have scheduled an appointment far from where you live, or one at a time that you can’t make. And then you may have booked another appointment after finding one that is more convenient for you.
But scheduling more than one appointment for your first dose of the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or your one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, may delay the goal of vaccinating as many people as possible to prevent serious disease and reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, health experts say.
“When someone doesn’t cancel an appointment, it means someone else has missed an appointment,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer.
“You’re literally taking a dose from someone else,” Willis added.
The no-show rate in Marin County is between 5% and 10%. On a good day, Willis said, it’s 5% or less.
Many people currently searching for available spaces have likely been reserving more than one at a time, which has become a “real challenge for us because we need predictability,” Willis said.
Once thawed from cold storage, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a relatively short shelf life. Missed appointments cause providers to struggle to avoid wasted doses.
In Marin County, extra doses are used for volunteers at vaccination sites or sent to long-term care centers and the county jail.
According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, vaccination sites run by various healthcare providers have different protocols, but all “plan hard” to ensure doses are not wasted.
“Many vaccination entities have a list of calls, of those who are eligible, who can be called to get vaccinated at the end of the day,” the department said. “Almost 100% of the vaccines received each week are assigned for use in the next week.”
Canceling an unnecessary appointment is easy and can make a big difference. “Take that extra step for someone else’s sake,” Willis said.
Second doses are usually scheduled when you make your first appointment or when you receive the first dose. If for any reason you are unable to keep that appointment, officials urge you to reschedule as soon as possible.
Here’s how to cancel an unnecessary appointment through different providers:
• For most providers, including counties and major health systems: Contact the vaccine provider to cancel the appointment. Be sure to check your confirmation email, which usually includes a link to cancel your appointment.
• My turn: Follow the instructions in the email or text message you received confirming your appointment through the state’s registration system.
• CVS or Rite Aid: Click the “Cancel Appointment” link in the vaccination appointment confirmation email.
• Safe path: Click on the link you received in a confirmation text. If you received an email confirmation, click the “Schedule Control” button.
• Walgreens: Click the “Edit or Cancel Appointment” link in your confirmation email. You can also cancel through this site.
Jessica Flores is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores