Vermonters 75 and older can now sign up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine. The Department of Health is asking state residents to visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine, where they'll be asked to create an account and sign up for an appointment.
If Vermonters can't get online or need to speak to someone in a language other than English, beginning at noon today they can call 855-722-7878. The phone line will be open Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Human Services Secretary Mike Smith says the plan is to then start administering the shots Wednesday at 54 locations in 39 towns around Vermont. No walk-ins will be allowed, and Smith urged Vermonters to be patient with a system that is bound to have some glitches. He also asked people to make appointments nearest to where they live.
“We need your help, and your understanding, to make it successful,” Smith said. “That means helping seniors get registered. And it also means not trying to find ways around the system. We all care for one another. And we all hope that more vaccine will be released, and we can scale up the system to more Vermonters more quickly.”
Smith says people will be able to schedule their second shot when they come in for the first. After Vermonters 75 and older are vaccinated, the state will then open it up to those 70 and older, and then to the 65 and older age group.
According to health officials, Vermonters will receive either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine for their first dose, and they'll be asked to wait 15 minutes after the injection to watch for reactions. Clinic staff will then help people make an appointment for their second vaccine dose.
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