West Virginia Launches Nation’s First Statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

What You Should Know:

– West Virginians will now have access to a COVID-19
vaccination pre-registration tool available statewide. 

President Joe Biden has made it his priority to tackle COVID-19 by
announcing several executive actions, but signs are emerging that the
distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is significantly behind schedule and doses
are going bad. To address this, West Virginia
today announced a partnership with Boston-based Everbridge Inc. to provide an online COVID-19
vaccine scheduling system for the state’s entire population. The offering also
provides governments with a single, unified platform to expedite vaccine
coordination, communication and distribution for all residents, including
vulnerable populations with special needs.

Statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Across All 55
Counties

In the U.S., healthcare experts have stated: “at a pace of
one million doses a day, the virus wouldn’t be contained until sometime in
2022.” A recent survey also reveals that 6 in 10 Americans do not know when or
where to get the vaccine. In addition, the logistics of moving this type of
vaccine across the country in a short period of time creates a substantial
challenge, especially given the cruciality of cold chain monitoring.

Powered by Everbridge, the tool enables West Virginians to pre-register for COVID-19 vaccination and receive updates through text, phone, and/or email. Pre-registration is now available in all 55 counties the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) at vaccinate.wv.gov.  

Those who have already been placed on a waitlist through their local health department or other medical providers, as well as those who have already received their first vaccine dose, will be integrated into this new system and thus do not need to pre-register. The first week, the system will open for pre-registration. Moving forward, vaccination scheduling will also be available through the system for all 55 counties in West Virginia by February 1^st. Scheduling will continue based on the state’s overlapping phased approach for administering the limited vaccine supply.

“Gov. Justice tasked
DHHR with figuring out a vaccination registration and scheduling tool for West
Virginians to use,” said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. “This new
service allows West Virginians to directly enter their information into the
computer, or with assistance from the Vaccine Info Line, and will keep folks
from having to call multiple times to our local health departments whose phone
lines are already overwhelmed.”

How It Works

The
system offers West Virginians the ability to pre-register, receive real-time
updates on vaccine availability and schedule an appointment to get vaccinated
when supplies allow. Individuals can opt to receive regular communication
updates on West Virginia’s vaccination process. The system allows people to
select their preferences for communication through texts, email or voicemails
over regular phone lines.

“We have partnered with Everbridge,” said Governor Jim
Justice of West Virginia in a recent press conference for state residents.
“Everbridge helps states notify their citizens when there’s a fire, a flood, or
a hurricane, but now they are going to help us coordinate vaccines as we can
get them from the federal government. We will be the first state to turn on
this new vaccine scheduling system. Everbridge helped us stand this up in one
week’s time.”

Added Gov. Justice, “This system [provides residents] the
ability to put your information in directly and helps us coordinate when
vaccines are available to notify you when and where to come to get your
vaccine. You will get a message back after you’ve registered to confirm that
you are in the system and we will send you updates regularly. The system sends
emails, texts, and phone calls. Whatever way you want us to notify you about
your availability, [Everbridge] will let you pick up on just that.”