February 6th, 2021 by WCBC Radio
Since the launch of a new online COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Form on Wednesday, the form has received nearly 5,500 responses. The joint effort by the Allegany County Health Department and UPMC Western Maryland is intended to streamline the process of scheduling vaccination appointments for individuals in the Governor’s priority groups as vaccine becomes available.
“The way the system works, individuals enter their name, age, city of residence, email address and phone number and answer a few basic health and occupational questions,” explained Brenda Caldwell, Public Information Coordinator for the Allegany County Health Department. “That information goes into a database which can then be sorted by priority groups, and when vaccine becomes available for individuals on the list, they will be contacted by either the health department or UPMC Western Maryland using the contact information they provided.”
Caldwell went on to say that the Interest Form is not an appointment scheduler but rather a contact list for individuals who wish to be notified when they can get vaccinated. That may take several weeks or longer, due to limited vaccine supply. “We are hopeful that being able to get on the list for a vaccine will give members of the public peace of mind, knowing that, when their turn comes, they will be contacted to schedule an appointment,” she said.
The Allegany County Health Department reported 31 new COVID cases in Allegany County and one additional death, bringing the county’s cumulative case count to 6,249 with 190 fatalities. The current case rate in Allegany County is 21.5 cases per 100,000 population, while Maryland’s state average is currently 23.52 cases per 100,000 population. Allegany’s positivity rate is at 4.87%, while the statewide average is 5.94%.
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