A personal message from a N C Emergency Management COVID-19 vaccine “Wait-list” volunteer

By Elizabeth Layman
January 18, 2021

Editor’s Note: For the first time, we have taken a comment on one of our articles, to the home page. It caught our attention because the message was delivered with such passion and it is an important message for us to hear.  Thank you, Elizabeth Layman.

Click on the above graphic to have your name placed on the waitlist.

“I commend the county for developing a system that also provides equal access to those who are underserved, who are working, and who have much limited time and access to the internet. We are all one in this fight, and I am encouraged that we are paying attention to those who are less fortunate than many of us.”

I am a volunteer at NCEM for the Vaccination Waitlist phone room. “Random sorting” means that when vaccine is available, the number of vaccines will determine how persons on the waitlist can receive the vaccine. Since there will most likely be more people on the list than available vaccines at any given time, the computer does a random selection from the list. For example, if there are 300 vaccines, but 500 persons on the waitlist, 300 persons on the list will be randomly selected by the computer and notified that they can claim their ticket to get the vaccine and get their appointment.

I have read that some residents are upset that this is not a “first-come, first-served” process. That was the original process and caused much frustration and consternation for nearly everyone, except those lucky enough to “refresh” their screen at the right second. This system solves the need to be sitting at your computer at a specific second in time.

As for not working like the system at Publix to get your deli order, I hope people understand the following:

  • There are many, many residents who are working and cannot just sit at their computer (or stand in line) at a specific time.
  • Many residents, particularly our older population, do not have access to the internet and need assistance to register, which is why NCEM maintains a phone number for help doing that.
  • Many residents in this age group may have limited vision, or limited dexterity to register themselves in such an online system that previously existed.

I commend the county for developing a system that also provides equal access to those who are underserved, who are working, and who have much limited time and access to the internet. We are all one in this fight, and I am encouraged that we are paying attention to those who are less fortunate than many of us.

While I understand that people may want a system that serves those who get there “first”, I also hope that everyone understands that not everyone is able to be “served” in such a system due to situations beyond their control.

I also ask that we remain patient. The new waitlist system went live on Friday morning, and OF COURSE, everyone was trying to get online at the same time. That’s understandable. But within one hour, the number of persons using the system had decreased to the point where getting online was quick.

As I said earlier, since this is not a “first-come first-served” system, and the need to be sitting there and spending an hour refreshing screens, etc. has eliminated this problem.

There were probably 10 volunteers working the phones when the system went live on Friday morning. We were able to take hundreds and hundreds of calls within just a couple of hours. We helped people register who could not get online, and that phone number was there for everyone. I hope people are patient with this…………imagine the 10 of us sitting there working as fast as possible to answer the phones. We worked hard at that, and believe me, no one took a break for ANY reason for hours.

And understand that access to the “eventbrite” site will happen when the vaccine arrives and people on the waitlist get the email from eventbrite to “claim their ticket” to get the vaccine. Appointments cannot be made until the county actually RECEIVES the vaccine or at least has a confirmed date of arrival. That information is included in the instructions on the website.
Again, please please, be understanding and patient.

About Elizabeth Layman

Elizabeth and her husband Jim moved to Fernandina Beach 16 years ago from Fort Lauderdale. They volunteer with the Nassau County Emergency Management Vaccine Waitlist Help Desk.

Since arriving in Fernandina, Elizabeth has volunteered with the Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Humane Society.  She is a Certified COVID-19 Contact Tracer.  For 10 years. Elizabeth served in the  Arlington, Virginia Police Department as a Major Sex Crime Investigator.  She is now under contract with the United States Department of Justice as a consultant.

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Jay Kayne
Jay Kayne(@jay-kayne)
3 years ago

I have no argument with Ms. Layman’s concerns about those who do not have the time or access to on-line resources. I just want a little more transparency. It is now clear I did not sign up for a wait list. I got a free ticket for a lottery. If the county had been up front about this, we also would have realized we did not have to sit at our computers at 8:00am in the morning, hitting refresh over and over again.

How hard would have been for the county to say, “This is not first come, first served. Everyone who signs up will have an equal chance of being notified. As long as you are in the pool when the vaccine becomes available, you could be notify regardless of when you added your name to the list.”

Also, this news has sent people in search of alternate providers while remaining in the county lottery pool. How much of time will volunteers like Ms. Layman waste following up with the “lucky winners” who have already received their shots elsewhere.

John Goshco
John Goshco (@guest_60119)
3 years ago

Ditto to Jay’s comment.

I qualify as being “old”, but would gladly yield my place in line to someone older or who has serious medical conditions.

I would also think that EventBrite would be capable of issuing concert tickets in consecutive order, starting with row #1, seat #1, etc.

Last, but not least, thank you Elizabeth and your fellow volunteers. I, for one, appreciate your work.

Nigel K Glover
Nigel K Glover(@nigel)
3 years ago

Is there a way to prioritize those of us with underlying conditions other than being 65?

Catherine Scott
Catherine Scott (@guest_60124)
3 years ago

I believe I read elsewhere that after the first day under the new system, there were over 6,000 people on the waitlist, presumably including those who called to register because of a lack of computer access. I have no problem with the notion that vaccine recipients should be randomly drawn, but I’m not keen on the notion that someone who chooses to register, for instance, 2 or 3 weeks from now, should jump the line ahead of those who registered at the start – in this sense it really is a lottery with an ever-changing pool, and no matter how many vaccines have been given to those on the waitlist, the odds of selection for those still on the last, at any given time are not necessarily improving.

Also I concur with the suggestion of more transparency. The OneNassau site has no reason anymore to send out notifications when new vaccines have been received. I think it would help everyone waiting for the vaccine to have some sense of how many doses are being received and given out on a weekly basis.

ELIZABETH JOHNSON
ELIZABETH JOHNSON (@guest_60130)
3 years ago

While Elizabeth Layman’s tutorial was very helpful but I believe the lottery system is a very poor way to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. We would have a better chance at winning the Florida Lottery. My husband and I are in our eighties and might have to wait months or more according to the amount of people that have signed up already. Why can’t a system be used that would take people in their eighties and nineties (obviously more vulnerable)and work back to the CDC recommendations for age sixty-five year olds?

We went to Publix in Ponte Vedra for our vaccines today. Their system is very organized and efficient. They were working with Flagler Health Center. Would suggest getting more Publix store lined up as soon as possible. Couldn’t we work through one of the health centers here in Nassau County?