Frustrated El Paso County senior looks to other counties for vaccine
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — John Reinert, who's 74-years-old, knows his way around a computer. Still, he describes the process of signing up for a vaccine in El Paso County as daunting and frustrating.
“Being an electrical engineer, yes I’m tech-savvy,” Reinert said. “I’ve been able to find my way through all of the different websites, but I know that some other people my age would struggle a little more with the technology.”
Reinert reportedly signed up for a vaccine through each of El Paso County Public Health’s vaccine partners, which are listed on its website. He said he only got confirmation from one.
“Maybe it’s not an urgency to get at the front of the list, but at least to know that I’m on a list,” Reinert said. “Because right now I don’t feel confident that I know that.”
Lisa Powell, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager for El Paso County Public Health, confirmed Friday how people can get a COVID-19 vaccine.
“For all of the providers who you are a current established patient with, they will contact you when they have the ability to get the vaccine to you.,” Powell said. “For those who are registering, they have to go on the portal or call to register.”
KRDO asked El Paso County Public Health why the sign-up responsibility falls primarily on the patients.
“We were erring on the side of — how to get the vaccine in people’s arms over how to get an easy process for signing up,” Powell said.
The approach pushed Reinert to sign up for alerts from Pueblo Public Health’s vaccine drive-thru, only to be told he needed to be a resident of Pueblo County to get a vaccine there. He is looking for vaccine clinics in the Denver area as well.
The health department said it has not ruled out the possibility of a more community-based approach to immunization in the future. But for now, the county is sticking with its plan to administer vaccines through CDC-approved providers.
