by Barbara Nevins Taylor
When my 91-year-old friend Carol Kitman told me a month ago that she and her husband couldn’t get appointments for the COVID vaccine in New Jersey, I offered to help. I figured that I could navigate the New Jersey websites for them and check a couple of times every day until something opened up. Foolish me. Quick on the uptake New Jerseyans had booked all of the COVID vaccine appointments. It was like getting a ticket to a Springsteen concert.
Carol and Marvin, a critic, writer and humorist, and also a 91-year-old, had registered on the New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System. But their options in Bergen County, where they live, were limited and I registered them at two hospitals, a pharmacy and a medical group that has several locations. But every site pointed out that they had limited supplies of the vaccine and that it might be a long wait. 
I tried other counties. But some would not accept people from out of the county. About a week into this, Marvin learned from his friend, cartoonist Mort Gerberg (my cousin), that he was eligible to get the vaccine at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. He made an appointment quickly. “Marvin got an appointment on February 1. That’s my birthday,” Carol said, her voice heavy with resignation and irony. “What am I going to do?”
Marvin Kitman getting the COVID vaccine at the VA Medical Center in New Jersey. Photo by Carol Kitman.
I kept at it. I wrote to the mayor in the town where she lives, and finally reached out to someone in Governor Phil Murphy’s press office. He said he couldn’t help, but did pass my request on to the state health department. A few days later Carol received a call. “Got a call from a lady in Trenton who said I am on a ‘watch list.’ Fingers crossed,” Carol emailed.” I told her to thank the governor’s office if this came through. Two days later, the woman called me and asked if I had Carol’s information to help set up an appointment. “Sure,” I said. “I have it all.”
She got someone else from the health department on the phone. He was on the scheduling website. “We have openings at 11:30 and 12:45 in Elizabeth tomorrow, Monday February 8,” he said. He took Carol’s birthdate, address, email and phone. While he was putting in the data, the appointments disappeared. Another appointment showed up that week for February 11 at 12:30. “Great,” I said. I thanked them over and over. I was so excited. I emailed Carol and she received a confirmation from the state within minutes.
“Hello Carol Kitman, Your appointment to receive your COVID-19 vaccine is confirmed. Please bring this email with you to your appointment and make sure that the code below (black square image) and your appointment ID are accessible on your phone or visible on a printed copy.”
Carol called, “Thank you. I really don’t know how to thank you enough,” she said. “Thank me after you get the vaccine,” I replied. My hesitation to accept praise was correct. The night before she was scheduled to go to Elizabeth, she received an email from the New Jersey Department of Health.
“Now what?” Carol emailed.
I called and texted the woman in Trenton. She apologized and explained that their computer program was double-booking and they had to straighten it out. She would try again next week.
The same day, Governor Murphy announced that Rite-Aid pharmacies would have 7500 doses. When we tried all the appointments were booked.
Anyone have any ideas?
