Los Angeles Times

A shot in the arm at Kaiser

Re “Vaccine partner Kaiser gets mixed reviews,” March 9

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I am 77 and seem to spend most of my time these days waiting in lines. My snarls are Oscarworth­y. Consequent­ly, I am still in a state of amazement from my extraordin­ary vaccine experience at Kaiser Permanente.

Yes, there was a line, but everything was so organized and well-handled by employees who actually smiled. I’ve boasted to everyone about the seamlessne­ss of getting both shots.

Gold stars to everyone who managed to create a system that was perfectly executed and left me with a big grin on my face. Ruth Kramer Ziony Los Feliz

I have been a very frustrated Kaiser member during this vaccine rollout.

First, I tried to get an appointmen­t for my 70year-old mother who is a member, but she was turned away because they were only vaccinatin­g people 75 and older. I ultimately got her a shot at Rite Aid.

Next I tried to get an appointmen­t for a 64-yearold Black male member who takes public transporta­tion, works in the food industry and lives in a group home with other senior Black males. No luck again. I was told to get him an appointmen­t elsewhere.

It’s pretty hard to get a shot at Dodger Stadium with no car or at a local pharmacy when appointmen­ts are booked for months. Members pay thousands to Kaiser each year, and some cannot get shots even when they are eligible according to government guidelines.

However, Kaiser is also vaccinatin­g nonmembers. Why not prioritize paying members who are eligible to receive a vaccine? Caitlin Prennace

Culver City

I received my first vaccine dose at Kaiser on Feb. 13, and I wrote a complaint letter the next day. I am 77 years old and spent two hours outside in cold and wind waiting with other seniors with no place to sit and no shelter from the elements.

Inside the clinic, I spent another 20 minutes in line standing. They were short staffed and did not appear to be using their personnel strategica­lly.

On March 6, I received my second shot at a different Kaiser clinic and was in and out in 30 minutes. Organizati­on and adequate staffing made all the difference. Elizabeth Johnson

Los Angeles

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