Thousands of Minnesotans preregister to be randomly selected for COVID-19 vaccination
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Last week, Jenny Bauer had a less than enjoyable experience trying to get her 72-year-old father signed up for a COVID-19 vaccine.
"I kept getting error messages," said Bauer, as she recalls of her attempt.
Bauer also tried again this week.
"I got on at 5:01 a.m. and it said I was 5,698th in line. It said the wait was going to be over an hour," she said.
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n this undated file photo issued by the University of Oxford, a volunteer is administered the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, in Oxford, England. With major COVID-19 vaccines showing high levels of protection, British officials are cautiously — and they stress cautiously — optimistic that life may start returning to normal by early April. Even before regulators have approved a single vaccine, the U.K. and countries across Europe are moving quickly to organize the distribution and delivery systems needed to inoculate millions of citizens.[AP/ University of Oxford, John Cairns]
Bauer said it took about 40 minutes to get her father registered, but it is still not guaranteed he will get the vaccination.
"(It’s) a little frustrating, but I think I’m so thankful and grateful that we are at where we are now anyway," she said.
There were some issues, however.
A man from Cokato wrote online, "Waited 1 hour today, just to be told I’m not in the pilot area."
"Anyone that had any issue like that, try again, make sure you have the information entered correctly," Minnesota IT Services Commissioner Tarek Tomes replied.
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, more than 180,000 people had registered online, and more than 1,600 by phone.
The state says there are 11,700 doses to be handed out at the pilot sites this week. Those Minnesotans will be randomly selected Wednesday morning starting at 7 a.m., once the registration closes at 5 a.m.
Bauer is relieved her dad is now signed up and has her fingers crossed he can get a COVID-19 vaccine shot soon.
"I’m optimistic and hopeful that something comes for him soon," she said.