BOISE, Idaho — Idaho has made major strides in the last couple of weeks when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. The state has gone from one of the slowest at getting shots in arms, to one of the top-five fastest, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Idaho has succeeded in giving out nearly 94% of the doses we have received within a week of getting them in hand. In addition, we are about to get almost 10,000 doses a week into our local pharmacies through the federal retail pharmacy program. That's on top of the 25,000 we are already getting.
Nearly 40% of those 65 and older across the state have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.
But that doesn't mean there is not frustration surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Idahoans are still experiencing a bit of a logjam when it comes to signing up for a vaccine appointment.
And as of Tuesday, there is now a residency requirement for getting a vaccine in Idaho after officials found out that about 4,800 of the state's doses went to people who don't live here.
How did that happen?
According to Health and Welfare, before this week people just needed to provide proof they were in a priority group that was currently qualified to get the vaccine.
Up to when the 65-plus crowd was added to the eligibility group at the beginning of this month, most of the priority groups were employee-based.
Those eligible included healthcare workers, frontline essential workers, long-term care providers are other workers, which meant a lot of those shots were being done at work.
Not all of those who work at those places - especially near the border - live in Idaho. There's also the part-time resident factor: Those who may winter here but are not considered an Idaho resident.
But don't expect the new residency requirement to instantly open up some spots on the schedule. The vaccine is still a hot commodity.
KTVB viewers have reached out questioning whether it was true they could get on a "call list" for leftover vaccines.
The idea that there are "leftover vaccines" or more doses than previously imagined is correct.
The vials of the Pfizer vaccine, for example, are supposed to have five doses in them, but sometimes have six or seven. The vials of Moderna's vaccine can have as many as ten or 12 doses.
If patients are scheduled on the basis of five shots per vial, the overages mean there is sometimes a little extra.
In addition, some people cancel their appointments or don't show up at all.
Once a vaccine vial is opened, its contents must be used within six hours.
We reached out to several of the vaccine providers in the Treasure Valley to see how they have handled it.
Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center says they recently moved all of their vaccinations to one location: the former Gordman's building in the Village at Meridian. The central location allows them to be more precise in how many vials they open - enough to meet that day's scheduled appointments, hospital officials say.
That way, they aren't opening vials at all of their area hospitals or clinics. They keep track of how many come through the door and adjust accordingly.
Saint Alphonsus says they do not have a wait-list for leftover doses.
What about St. Luke's?
To avoid wasting doses, Luke's did set up a cancellation list to rapidly fill same-day openings. The list would give someone a notice - sometimes as little as 30 minutes - that there was a shot available for them.
Those on the list were sorted according to the next tier or group in line to be vaccinated.
Unfortunately, St. Luke's says, that list got so long, and the extra doses are so few, the hospital is no longer adding people to it.
Primary Health told KTVB they do keep a waitlist of eligible vaccine recipients, who are willing to be called last minute at any time, on any day should a leftover dose become available.
However, right now it is not open to the public. Only Primary Health employees can get on that list.
Primary Health said they worked with the local health districts to come up an internal process for putting people on that list.
Lastly, Albertson says they do currently have a waitlist at their pharmacies.
Those patients have to be within the current phase of eligibility, and they must contact the local store to be added to it.
So yes, these leftover doses waitlists are a real thing...just not a very viable one outside of Albertsons.
And being an aggressive patient may not help as much as just being a patient one.
At KTVB, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: www.ktvb.com/coronavirus.
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