Some additional numbers to consider

330,000,000 people in US
6,700,000 vaccinated so far
Approximately 2%

20,000,000 people in FL
500,000 vaccinated so far
Approximately 2.5%

130,000 people in Sumter County
2,000 vaccinated so far
Approximately 1.5%

Sumter county 34th in State by population
Sumter county 37th in State by number of vaccinations

130,000 people in Sumter County
75,000 over 65 years old (58%)

Vaccinations seem to be given two or three times per week.
People having a hard time getting slots on the website.

What this says to me is the problem is likely on the supply side and not that vaccination side.

1. Sumter County vaccination rate of 1.5% is in line with the Florida rate of 2.5% and the National rate of 2%. (600 more vaccinations, one week's worth, and Sumter would be at 2%).

2. It is hard to believe that the Dept of Health or Publix would be sitting on cases of vaccine and not giving them out. If they are only vaccinating two or three times per week then it is likely that they are giving out all that they receive as soon as they receive it.

3. Most likely, Florida is receiving its "fare share" and Sumter County is receiving its "fare share" and is vaccinating as soon as they receive the materials.

While being put on hold on a website and not getting a slot is frustrating, there are up to 75,000 trying for the same 200-300 slots. There is nothing the website can do to fix the fact that there are far more people in line than there are slots to give out. For every one person who gets a slot there are 250 - 350 who do not; those who get stuck on hold have a lot of company.

All this makes nothing better. We all want to get the shot yesterday but that just isn't going to happen. Hopefully, supply increases dramatically very soon and the number of slots increase tenfold. And remember, as bad and frustrating as it is, there are 55,000 or so (of us) who aren't even allowed into the line yet.

I tried last Wednesday on the Eventbrite site to get 2 "tickets" for the vaccination event last Thursday. Since I was not familiar with the site, even though I was on the website a minute or two after 8:00 am, I failed to get "tickets." I understand the reason since so many of us are over 65. My wife is over 70; I am over 75 and am compromised due to low white blood cell count. When the large number of people (perhaps in the thousands) are all trying to get "tickets" to an event with a capacity of 200-300, most are not going to be successful. I never even got to select tickets because they were all unavailable by 2 or 3 minutes after 8:00. However, I believe the Eventbrite "ticket" site is as fair as any site could be.

This morning I tried again. I could only attempt for Monday since I have a necessary medical procedure for Wednesday. I knew what I was doing this time. I was on the site at 8:00. I chose one of the three time slots; it allowed me to select 2 tickets; then it sent me to a new screen indicating it was searching for available "tickets". Apparently a lot of people were transferred to the same "Que". I waited ten minutes while the system kept checking, then was given a message that the event was "sold out." No luck once again.

One major issue, IMHO, is the county does not know very far in advance when they will receive an allotment of the vaccine or how many doses they will receive. Hard to plan to allocate appointments until they are certain they will have the vaccine doses. Supposedly a BIG VACCINE event is coming for Sumter County this week.


Neither time I tried surprised me due to knowing that many hundreds or thousands were trying at the same time; our thoughts were this is just like a lottery. You either are lucky and get through; or you don't. While we want the vaccine, especially due to my medical situation, we are patient enough to know that we will eventually get them. In the meantime we keep staying home except for essential trips to the grocery or to medical appointments or outside for exercise where we have no contact with anyone. We always are masked when essential shopping or medical appts. Patience is a virtue.

I disagree with part of what you say. Patience is not a virtue in this life-and-death situation.

The Health Department needs to get its act together now. Why isn't it using vaccine-specific, commercially available software from companies like Microsoft or Salesforce rather than using Eventbrite?

Eventbrite is better than using a single phone line, per the Health Department's first idiotic system. However, use of Eventbrite is requiring tens of thousands of people to waste countless man-hours racing each other for a minuscule supply of vaccine. After the race, the vaccine is awarded on an irrational first-come/first-served basis and not going to the most-needy people.

The Health Department also needs to communicate, to the public, its plan is for distributing the vaccine once an adequate supply is available. Development of such a plan needs to be finalized now. Such a plan will take time to implement it.

Do you know for sure that actually did transpire? Are there photos or articles stating that "cronies" of the developer jumped the line?

I agree with you on that. We Americans watched many folks in much higher offices in our government take the shot. What more did we need to see? Funny how all we hear about on this forum is from folks who are wanting to be vaccinated. Are there very many people who are anti-vaxxers? Not hearing from them too much at this point.

On December 22, there was a photo of it happening in the on-line newspaper and an article setting forth names of the recipients. So, yes, I know that "it actually did transpire", and it was absolutely reprehensible. It only makes one wonder if other "connected' people also got priority access to the vaccine. We need transparency about this.

The vaccine that the line jumpers got is vaccine that health-care workers, first-responders, or other more-needy people did not get on a timely basis. What happened could have cost the life of one or more of them. We will never know.

Speculation runs rampant again.....since I don't believe you have any access to anything more than the media shows you, and of course when it suits an individuals agenda and opinion let's stir the pot. The next issue will be all those that will receive their shots this week are not in front of thousands and it could cost someone in that group a life....or a first responder, health care worker can't get theirs either. All these folks must be "cronies" of the health system, connected somehow to the government or worse yet, the Governor......Puhlezzzz. Stirring the pot serves nobody except the poster. Hope you feel better.

I guess these "line jumpers" didn't realize how inconsiderate they were and making it very public too. Not a good look for them.

If you are in Chemo, vaccine is not recommended. So you can take them off your list, along with anyone taking a thinner. That’s thousands that will not be vaccinated. I am all waiting until I don’t have to jump through hoops to get 2 injection.

Still after you get vaccinated you will be still wearing masks, and social distance, for an unknown amount of months. Maybe you will never be without a mask.

After my other half went back to work, exposed 50 to 60 hours a week, will not be taking the vaccine at all. As is more healthcare workers than you realize.

Florida and three other states have vaccinated more people so far than the rest of the U.S.

Lets face it they only care about themselves. Then how to repay the friends, companies and foreigners that helped them. The people that need them are the bottom of the bucket. So sad.

Isn't there a new age limit for receiving the vaccine just put in place in NY?

The silence is deafening.
Probably to busy phoning, or on internet trying to arange a booking!

Hard to Believe
 

It is hard to believe so many will go to extremes to support the terrible people who pushed those in need aside and essentially put some to their deaths so they could grab their vaccine! It actually surprises me someone would do that and then have so many support their outrages acts. The bottom feeders of society are those who pushed those in need, e.g. Health Care workers and Elderly in Assisted living and those who are deathly ill aside and grabbed their vaccine dosage for themselves. If a person supports these acts then they are no better than the ones who are committing the act and should be held accountable for stimulating more to "grab and run". Somewhere out there are 5-6 in need going to die because they did not get the vaccine that could have saved them and was a grab and run by someone not at high risk! Sounds like an overstatement, tell
that to the family who lost the family member. If it shocks you to hear this then it should!:ohdear:

I guess I'll pose the question again, since it got deleted the first time. Do any of the people (not specifically naming them) who think these 5 who "jumped the line" are "terrible" have a problem with illegal immigrants "jumping the line" ahead of people who have waited years to come here???? Because if you don't, it is utter hypocrisy.