HAMILTON CO. — Right now, first responders, health care workers and those over the age of 70 can make appointments to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The wait times for an appointment can be several weeks.
But with some perseverance and flexibility you can move yourself up in line.
Ronald Metcalf was able to get his vaccine weeks before his scheduled appointment because he did the research and was willing to drive over an hour for the first dose.
Metcalf is in 70’s and tells WRTV when the state opened up vaccinations to those in his age group, he was on the phone immediately and scheduled his appointment in Hamilton County.
He said his partner who is under 70 wanted him to get the vaccine sooner and went to several different sites until she found him an appointment that day.
“You would think that database would be set up to research anything within 50 miles or 75 miles, and that wasn't our experience," Metcalf said.
"You had to go site by site and perseverance happens, but we were thinking Greensburg—that’s kind of far away for us, but when we found out there was a dose available, it was a no-brainer for us we were going to get that dose."
Metcalf said every mile was worth it knowing soon he can hug his family again.
Once the vaccines are taken out of the temperature-controlled area and brought to the vaccinations sites, they must be used that day, and lucky for Metcalf and his fiancée, his vaccination clinic had an extra Pfizer vaccine so both he and his fiancé were able to get their first dose.
He said they are both now scheduled to get the second dose next week. Even though his fiancée is under the age of 70, once you get the first dose of the vaccine, they will schedule you for the second no matter your age.
If you are not in the current groups able to make vaccine appointments, there are ways you can get in line and get those leftover vaccines at the end of the day.
The easiest way to do that is to volunteer at a vaccine clinic. It’s not guaranteed you’ll get a vaccine, but if there are extras at the end of the day you could get the spare dose.
And Hoosiers did have the opportunity to get on a call list at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. Those 60 and above could sign up to get leftover doses in their county, but as of right now the call list has been put on pause. We will let you know if and when it reopens.
