I am assuming someone familiar with logistics or somesuch will be able to explain why the pace of vaccinations has been so slow. I’m hoping to avoid too much political criticism.
In this morning’s paper, they talked about a huge percentage (well over half) of IL longterm care facility residents not having been vaccinated yet. I would’ve thought that was the lowest of the low-hanging fruit. We know who they are, they are in one place, there are medical personnel around… If we can’t efficiently jab those folk, how the hell will we get everyone else?
I spoke w/ a friend who works in a hospital and had been vaccinated. She described a very complex multistep procedure to get vaccinated at work, involving several different people entering info into computers at various steps. I well understand the interest in tracing which batches go into which arms. But this hospital employee is in her place of employment, with her employment issued chipped and magstripped photo-ID.
I see things in the paper about old folks waiting in parking lots overnight. I understand that some set of folk might have challenges dealing w/ computer/app scheduling, but again, why can’t a system be set up having people apply - either by phone or computer, and then scheduling them to come in 1 hour bands reflecting the pace at which vaccinations can be given?
As a child of the 60s, I can remember being lined up in school to get our shots. I know the decision was made to not do kids first, but I’d think other group settings could be identified. I’m reading that it isn’t solely an availability issue. Instead, doses are available, but not administered.
And why is so much care needed to identify people - more than to vote? My friend said her ID was checked several times. What is the real harm of people presenting incorrect ID and doses going into the wrong arms?
I’m not trying to get into a political debate. And I’m not whining about ME not getting it sooner. I’ve kept safe til now, and I’ll get it when I get it. I’m just trying to understand why this is so complicated and slow.