Trouble scheduling the second vaccine shot

If you are called about extra doses of the COVID vaccine at your pharmacy, just say no.

I’m 65 years old, I have health problems, and I’m an art teacher for the Longmont Senior Center. I was called because I’m on the health department list and I live close by.

It was done at my local Safeway pharmacy. I was excited I didn’t have to drive far. I asked before getting the vaccine about how the second dose was to be handled. I was told, “You will get a call tomorrow to schedule”; good enough for me. I got the shot. I did the usual amount of suffering with two days of side effects.

I did not get the call to schedule. I called Safeway pharmacy a couple of times getting no help at all. I called the Boulder County Health Department thinking they were in charge. I was treated rudely, after I explained. She said, “What did you expect when you did it the wrong way!” I was flabbergasted. I didn’t seek this out; they called me!

I was told by two of the pharmacists that I had to go through the health department website and make an appointment with Safeway. There are never appointments available. It took me talking to a third pharmacist before someone listened to me. He took the info from my vaccine card and put me on a list. I don’t know if this will help. I also found out King Soopers sometimes gives out second doses, but you have to wait until eight days before you are due before you can sign up. If they don’t have Moderna on March 20, I’m out of luck.

If I don’t get the second shot, what then? Is it safe to start over? If so, I still suffered two extra days of pain, migraine, and fatigue for nothing. This practice should end.