VACCINES: More info wanted

My mother who is 90 lives with me, and I am looking for my first opportunity to get her vaccinated. It is beyond frustrating that I can’t even get information on where to go.

I would like to see an investigation and a story on getting access to the vaccine. I am hearing and seeing on Facebook individuals posting that they have been vaccinated, and these are individuals who are not in any of the published groups currently scheduled for vaccines, and are significantly younger than my mom. The only central hub seems to be Panhandle Health, but a person can’t even talk to them. Every entity I can think of to call sends me down an automated system that eventually refers me to Panhandle Health.

I can understand and accept waiting for her turn. I can understand that epidemiologists have decided on the phased rollout on the basis of who is most likely to spread the virus and who needs to work. But this isn’t what I see. It seems that if a person knows someone, or is lucky or clever, he/she gets the vaccine. And it would also seem that this just pushes back the date that the priority groups are finished and it will be available to people willing to wait their turn.

And if it is this difficult for me advocating for my mom, what about all those seniors who don’t have a family member to do this for them.

Anyway, it would be great if The Press could help shed some clarity on this.

CORY ENGLISH

Coeur d’Alene