Since coronavirus vaccines opened to Californians 50 years and older on April 1, and where all residents aged 16 and over are eligible April 15, you may be one of the many people now looking to find a deal.
You may have planned an appointment far away from where you live or one at a time that you cannot make. And then you may have booked another deal after finding one that is more convenient for you.
But planning more than one appointment for your first dose of the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or your single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine may slow down the goal of vaccinating as many people as possible to prevent serious illness and reduce hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19, health experts say.
“When someone does not cancel an agreement, it means that an agreement has been taken from someone else,”
“You’re literally taking one dose from another,” Willis added.
The no-show rate in Marin County is between 5-10%. On a good day, Willis said, it’s 5% or less.
It is likely that many people currently searching for available slots have booked more than one at a time, which has become a “real challenge for us because we need predictability,” Willis said.
When thawed from cold storage, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have a relatively short shelf life. Absence of appointments results in providers encrypting to avoid waste of doses.
In Marin County, extra doses are used either for volunteers at vaccination sites or sent to long-term care facilities and the county jail.
According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, vaccination sites run by different health care providers have different protocols, but everyone “plans aggressively” to ensure doses are not wasted.
“Many vaccinating units have a call list of those eligible who can be called to be vaccinated at the end of a day,” the department said. “Almost 100% of the vaccines received each week are set aside for use in the coming week.”
Canceling an unnecessary appointment is easy and can make a big difference. “Take that extra step for someone else’s sake,” Willis said.
Second doses are usually scheduled either when you make your first appointment or when you get the first dose. If for any reason you are unable to make this agreement, officials urge you to restructure as soon as possible.
To cancel an unnecessary agreement through different providers:
• For most providers, including counties and major health systems: Contact the vaccine provider to cancel the agreement. Be sure to check your email confirmation, which usually includes a link to cancel your appointment.
• My turn: Follow the instructions in the email or text message you received confirming your agreement through the state registration system.
• CVS or Rite Aid: Click on the “Cancel your appointment” link in your email to confirm the vaccine appointment.
• Safeway: Click on the link you received in a confirmation text. If you have received an email confirmation, click the “Schedule Check” button.
• Walgreens: Click the “Edit or Cancel Appointment” link in your confirmation email. You can also cancel via this site.
Jessica Flores is an author of San Francisco Chronicle staff. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
