As some struggle to schedule COVID vaccine, Mount Nittany works to carry out Phase 1A with limited supply
If 87-year-old Bellefonte resident Mildred Daub contracted COVID-19, she’s sure she would die.
“I’ve lived this long,” she said. “I don’t really want to die with the virus.”
Recognizing the severity of the pandemic and rising death toll, Daub said she was eager to receive the vaccine and help mitigate transmission. On Friday, she received her first dose at one of Mount Nittany Health’s large-scale vaccination clinics, held at the hospital.
Since Dec. 18, Mount Nittany Health has given more than 7,200 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and scheduled nearly 5,000 appointments through the first week of March for those eligible under Phase 1A of the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s vaccination plan — anyone 65 or older and those 16-64 who are immunocompromised or have a high-risk medical condition.
The health system has administered the vaccine to more than 2,500 community members in the last week at its clinics.
Daub, who was accompanied by 63-year-old Kim Marie Gilbaugh, said the process at the clinic was a “piece of cake.”
But getting an appointment hasn’t been easy, with demand for the vaccine locally at least 10 times greater than available supply.
James Eisenstein, an 81-year-old Boalsburg resident, plans his schedule around Mount Nittany Health. Though he qualifies for a coronavirus vaccine, scheduling an appointment has been impossible so far.
At 2:01 p.m. on Tuesday, Eisenstein began the online process to sign up for a no-cost vaccine after the health system announced additional appointments would be available at 2 p.m. Submitting the form minutes later, he received a message that no slots were available. It was Mount Nittany Health’s second time opening up the self-scheduling system and Eisenstein’s second failed attempt to get an appointment.
“I’m vulnerable, and I’m frustrated because I keep trying and doing everything they say, and I’m not even able to register,” he said. “They did sign up some people, so I don’t know why mine didn’t work.”
Eisenstein is one of more than 20,000 Centre County residents who were unable to schedule a vaccination at Mount Nittany.
In a statement to the CDT, a Mount Nittany spokesperson said the health system understands and empathizes with everyone who has been unsuccessful in scheduling an appointment.
“We are working hard to improve the scheduling process and will continue to request more quantities of the vaccine from the Pennsylvania Department of Health in order to meet the high level of demand,” the spokesperson wrote. “Every Tuesday, we will provide an update on the COVID-19 vaccine appointment availability on our website.”
Amid a national vaccine shortage, hospitals and health providers across Pennsylvania are working to secure as many doses as possible from the Health Department, which receives its supply from the federal government. Statewide, 1.16 million vaccine doses have been administered to 918,210 people.
In Centre County, 13,810 first doses and 2,818 second doses have been given, according to state data. Vaccinations are also being administered by Centre Volunteers in Medicine and Geisinger, which provides the vaccine in Lewistown. Residents who are vaccinated in another county are included in data for their county of residence, a Health Department spokesperson said.
Mount Nittany Executive Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Dr. Tiffany Cabibbo said the hospital could double its numbers if the state increased vaccine supply.
“We keep ordering, and as soon as we get it, we release those appointments,” Cabibbo said. “But it’s going to take more quantity, and I think Pennsylvania is not different than any other state. Even though tier groups ... may be different, the amount each state is getting is pretty static right now.”
Through its physician group, Mount Nittany has created some waitlists for patients, and officials are evaluating different software that would allow the health system to establish a large-scale list, Cabibbo said.
“That’s been based off feedback,” she said. “I know it’s been really frustrating for all of our community members out there, but we actually really do appreciate the feedback we’ve heard and (are) really evaluating if we could switch over.”
Eisenstein was able to navigate the online form, but he worries less computer savvy seniors will have trouble getting vaccinated, especially without the option to call and schedule an appointment.
“People my age, we didn’t exactly grow up with online work,” he said. “When I picked up the phone, I expected someone to say, ‘Number please.’ I’m sure there are many other people that are in the same boat.”
Community members have expressed similar sentiments about the online scheduling system. In response, Mount Nittany said it is experiencing “extremely high call volumes” and is unable to accept phone calls to schedule appointments.
“We will let our community know immediately if this changes,” a spokesperson said.
As the health system works to refine its scheduling system, health care workers continue efforts to vaccinate community members. Patients receive the vaccine in a socially-distant setting at the hospital and leave with a scheduled appointment for the second dose.
Though the vaccine rollout will take time, Cabibbo said there’s a feeling of optimism and gratitude from medical staff and patients.
“We have to give it time, but there’s definitely a better sense of optimism, that sort of light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “Most are super excited. It’s probably the only time in my life people have actually wanted injections, so those that come are incredibly thankful, incredibly grateful.”
This story was originally published February 5, 2021 at 6:12 PM.
