St. George Area To Receive More Vaccine Doses, Fix Scheduling System

SALT LAKE CITY — The health department serving the St. George area is expecting more COVID-19 vaccine doses as it also works to fix issues with its online vaccine scheduler.

“We’re actually scheduling more appointments next week, which should be good news for the folks who are 70 and above and have had a hard time getting in over the last couple of weeks,” said David Heaton, spokesperson for the Southwest Utah Public Health Department.

Heaton said the health district, which covers five counties, expects to receive about 3,000 vaccine doses next week — compared to the usual allotment of around 2,000 doses.

“We’re opening up all the appointments for the doses that we have,” Heaton said.

However, Heaton expects the appointments to still go quick once the next window of reservations opens Monday after 9 a.m.

Last Monday, all of the spots were taken in about 10 minutes.

“We’re also dividing some of those out to our phone lines because some seniors, of course, have a hard time with computers,” Heaton said. “So if they call our phone line, they’ll be able to make their appointment over the phone if they don’t have access to a computer.”

Heaton said the Southwest Utah Public Health Department is also looking at fixing issues with the online scheduling system.

“We’re looking seriously over the next couple of weeks of even changing our appointment software to make a little bit easier,” he said.

After complaints about the #COVID19 #vaccine sign-up process, the SW UT Health Dept is promising changes

“We’re looking seriously over the next couple of weeks of even changing our appointment software"

They're also expecting more doses next week!

FULL STORY 6:30pm on @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/IPbHfQP8OS

— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) January 30, 2021

Washington City resident John Blasko said the scheduling software doesn’t give users time to complete the reservation.

“I got in there and started to fill out my name and filled it all out and put the other additional information that they needed and hit enter and this message came back and said, ‘Sorry, somebody else has taken this slot,’” Blasko said.

Demand for the vaccine caused the department’s website to crash on Jan. 18. After moving the website to state servers, it was able to handle the following week’s traffic, Heaton said.

“It is frustrating,” Blasko said. “I’ve spoken to my neighbors and my friends. We’ll all get on there at 9 a.m. again on Monday and try it again and go through this same frustration.”

The health district is also making it clear that part-time residents — like the snowbirds who spend the winter in St. George — are eligible to make a reservation.

“If they can bring anything connecting their name with the address they’re living in, we consider them a resident,” Heaton said.

Heaton recommends bringing a rental agreement, a utility bill, or other piece of mail.

“So, even if you have two homes — one up in Salt Lake, one down in St. George — if you’re in St. George, get vaccinated here,” Heaton said. “Just bring something showing proof of your current residency.”

Anyone looking to register for a vaccine clinic can visit the health department’s website.

For those without internet access, the health department will start taking phone vaccine reservations after 9 a.m. on Monday Feb. 1 at 435-986-2549.