Scheduling a virus vaccine appointment
Only some groups currently eligible to receive injection
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LEWISTOWN -- Currently in Pennsylvania, front line health care workers and those people included in Group 1A by the Pennsylvania Department of Health are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
But how do people who are eligible make an appointment to receive the vaccine?
At Geisinger, it can be done through myGeisinger (https://www.geisinger.org/mygeisinger).
Those needing tips on how to schedule a vaccine appointment using this online system can visit https://www.geisinger.org/coronavirus/patients-and-visitors/covid-19-vaccine-faqs#vaccine schedule for assistance.
Geisinger says it expects high demand for appointment scheduling, so it is asking if no appointments are available, for people to check in with the scheduling tool on myGeisinger regularly as more appointments will be published on a weekly basis as supply, logistics and staffing allow.
Those who are unable to schedule through myGeisinger, can call (570) 284-3657 or (570) 849-6800, but Geisinger warns that call volumes are high, so successfully scheduling over the phone may be difficult.
Once an appointment is obtained, those getting the vaccine need to remember a second dose is needed for both the Pfizer (21 days after the first dose) and Moderna (28 days after the first dose) vaccines and the second dose must be obtained at the same location at which the first dose was given.
People in Group 1A include people age 65 and older, long-term care facility residents, health care personnel including, but not limited to EMS workers, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, chiropractors, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, technicians, pharmacy technicians, health professions students and trainees, direct support professionals, clinical personnel in school settings or correctional facilities, contractual HCP not directly employed by the health care facility, persons not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious material that can transmit disease among or from health care personnel and patients and people ages 16 and older with high-risk conditions such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, down syndrome, heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies, immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines, obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher but less than 40 kg/m2), severe obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2 or higher), pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Geisinger said as soon as it is able to provide vaccinations for more groups of people, it will, but that no timeline has been set for additional groups of people to be deemed eligible by the health department.
To schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://www.geisinger.org/mygeisinger or call (570) 284-3657 or (570) 849-6800. Geisinger warns call volumes may be heavy. To be eligible, the person must be a member of Group 1A of Pennsylvania's vaccine rollout plan.