How are 16+ year olds getting vaccinated so early in Montgomery County

[Anonymous]

My son is a senior in high school and several of his friends have been able to get their vaccines already. Even though he has asked them, he does not seem to be able to explain to me how they were eligible. They are definitely not all at-higher-risk individuals. I have heard of situations where vaccine sites are giving vaccines to anyone if they have extras that they need to use, but I don't really see how it is feasible to actively look for that situation....

For now, I am just telling him the best he can do is preregister for one of the mass vaccination sites, and when Maryland opens up to the 16+ (I think the state is aiming for the end of april), we will check around for closer sites...

[Anonymous]

They’re probably driving to Oakland or Salisbury where there is an excess

[Anonymous]

They weren't eligible. But state mass sites are not checking when you get (wspecially Salisbury) and lots of walgreens aren't either especially if youre white.

[Anonymous]

Are you registered for mailings from Mark Elrich?

If you are, you will have received an email Friday (or maybe it was Thursday) in which Elrich announced MoCo had opened vaccines up to 16+.

My son got a vaccine on Saturday at the White Oak Rec Center. It was easy to get the appointment and the operation was well run. He was given Pfizer and it was administered by an RN. The second appointment will be in 3 weeks at approximately the same time.

[Anonymous]

^^^^^ This opportunity is for everyone - no need to be high risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you registered for mailings from Mark Elrich?

If you are, you will have received an email Friday (or maybe it was Thursday) in which Elrich announced MoCo had opened vaccines up to 16+.

My son got a vaccine on Saturday at the White Oak Rec Center. It was easy to get the appointment and the operation was well run. He was given Pfizer and it was administered by an RN. The second appointment will be in 3 weeks at approximately the same time.

From Elrich: "Montgomery County has opened preregistration at County-operated COVID-19 vaccine centers to all County residents 16-and-over." I pre-registered my 16+ teen, but pre-registeration is not the same as being eligible for a shot. Does your teen have other conditions that make him eligible?

[Anonymous]

In some cases they're not eligible, in some cases they traveled to where there's more vaccine.

Lots of younger people have gone to M&T stadium, where there was clearly a "look the other way" situation going on to fill appointments. It sucks, it's not fair, but they could have easily shut it down and they didn't because that's what they needed to do to fully utilize that site until the state expanded the official phases.

[Anonymous]

If some of them live in PG, the PG-only places have gone past the phases on their lists.

[Anonymous]

My son has no special risks etc. He preregistered and was immediately allowed to make an appointment. He was totally honest about his status. I think private entities are also making appointments for 16+. I am not sure, but I think the Adventist Hospital and Walgreens maybe doing this.

[Anonymous]

^^^^ He preregistered through MoCo and was immediately allowed to make an appt. He has no special risks, etc and was totally honest about that.

[Anonymous]

Health issues or parents are lying or creative about which box they choose. Same as adults.

I pre-registered and haven't heard anything and I have health issues. Really frustrating people are line jumpers.

[Anonymous]

^^^^ I think you have to immediately jump on the appointments. They will be gone if you wait even half an hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^^ I think you have to immediately jump on the appointments. They will be gone if you wait even half an hour.

Yes, but only if you are eligible. I just registered my husband and it took hours. However, we are talking about teens who have had their shot the past few weeks with no health issues who are line jumping. Its amazing how selfish people are. It should be a race to get an appointment for those eligible because people are lying about their status.

[Anonymous]

If the site in Salisbury allows walk-in, why not take your DH there?

[Anonymous]

It is also possible that people were slow on the uptake this weekend because it was a holiday weekend (or they did not want to potentially spoil their holiday). There were lots of openings this weekend. Our neighborhood listserv shares info on available vaccines. Friday and Saturday - there seemed to be lots of openings.