A new, centralized system should create a more streamlined process for registering for COVID-19 vaccinations in Virginia.
Gov. Ralph Northam hyped the new system – online at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling 877-VAX-IN-VA – at a presser today.
The hype: that this new system will work, unlike the health district-level approach at rollout of the vaccines that was the height of inefficiency.
“Virginians have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, and these new tools will help them get answers, get pre-registered, and most importantly, get vaccinated,” Northam said. “While our vaccine supply remains limited, we are doing everything we can to acquire more doses and put shots into the arms of eligible individuals in a safe, efficient, and equitable manner. I thank everyone for staying patient and continuing to follow public health guidance so we can mitigate the spread of this dangerous virus.”
If you’d already pre-registered for the vaccine through your local health district, you do not need to sign up again. Those who have already pre-registered have been automatically transferred to the centralized system, and their pre-registration status will not be affected.
Per a release from the governor’s office, data migration will continue throughout the week, and it may take several days for everyone to appear in the new system.
Uh, huh.
Details
The call center, for those who prefer to pre-register by phone, is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
It is staffed by 750 live operators who can answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and help people get pre-registered.
The call center has English- and Spanish-speaking agents, as well as a call-back service in more than 100 other languages.
Because it’s a live call, we’ll hope the operators are not using Google Translate.
TTY service is available to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Be prepared to wait. Call volumes are expected to be high at the outset.
There is a callback option.
Be prepared to wait for that callback.
What they’ll ask you
To complete your pre-registration, you will be asked to provide some basic information to determine your eligibility. You will not be asked for your social security number or your immigration status.
Anyone who pre-registers will receive a pre-registration confirmation and a reference code that can be used to verify that you are still on the wait list.
You can also specify whether you prefer to be contacted by phone, text, or email.
Pre-registration gives you the opportunity to get updates about vaccine availability and to make an appointment when vaccine supply allows. It does not provide immediate access to a vaccine.
When you become eligible, you will receive instructions from your local health department on how to schedule an appointment.
More info
For the latest information on COVID-19 vaccinations in Virginia, visit vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
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Chris Graham
