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Vaccine sites feel ripple effects of second dose scheduling troubles

Swedish Medical Center told KIRO 7 that it was forced to turn some people away Wednesday who had registered and showed up to receive their second vaccine dose at the Seattle University Swedish Community COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic because they had not received their first shot there.

Hours later, Swedish said it had started working with the state to get additional doses to “hopefully keep all our existing appointments, even though some may not have received a first dose at our clinic.”

Eighty-two-year-old Marta Lowy and her husband said they received their first dose at Overlake Medical Center but ran into scheduling roadblocks that prevented them from securing an appointment for their second Pfizer dose at Overlake.

“I asked the person at the reception, ‘can you schedule?’” said Lowy in an interview with KIRO 7. “And they said ‘no, just do it the way you did this one.’ Well, let me tell you, it didn’t work that way.”

Lowy contacted KIRO 7 after our Monday report of an 88-year-old woman who said she too was having difficulty signing up for her second COVID-19 vaccination appointment and had been told by Overlake, which initially offered no help, to schedule “on their website or I could go some place else.”

Unable to find an appointment through Overlake, Lowy said she was able to book an appointment Wednesday at the Swedish Seattle University vaccination clinic.

“We received the confirmation and everything,” said Lowy. “And we came and we’re told that because we had the first dose at Overtake we couldn’t receive.”

She said they even offered to wait until the end of the day for any leftovers.

“(Swedish) said no, because there is an arrangement to give it to some community group and they’re working together to provide them with whatever doses are left,” said Lowy.

Hours later Wednesday, Lowy said she was contacted by Swedish and told she and her husband could come back and receive their second Pfizer dose at the Seattle University clinic after all.

“It was work with the governor’s office,” said Lowy. “And they’ve released doses for the people who were turned away in the morning.”

Swedish prioritizes second doses to those who receive the first dose at their community clinic due to the state’s allocation model of sending a certain number of initial doses followed by a subsequent shipment to match and said not following this model creates scheduling problems down the road.

“In order to accommodate those who received their first dose at our clinic, we are unable to vaccinate people with their second dose who DID NOT get their first dose at Seattle University,” Swedish states on its website.

However, Swedish is now working to get in touch with everyone initially turned away Wednesday who did not receive their first dose with Swedish.

“Given, our limited vaccine doses, the Swedish Community COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at Seattle University made the tough decision to prioritize its second dose vaccine supply for individuals who received their first dose at the clinic. After recently receiving an influx of second dose appointments from people who received their first vaccine doses at other clinics, we realized we wouldn’t be able to honor the second dose commitment made to those we gave first doses to unless we freed up appointment slots or received more doses,” said Swedish in a statement to KIRO 7 Wednesday. “We recognize this statewide vaccination process has not been without challenges and we apologize for any inconveniences this scheduling matter has caused. The Swedish vaccine team is working with the state to acquire additional doses so we can hopefully keep all our existing appointments, even though some may not have received a first dose at our clinic.”

Lowy is relieved to have received her second vaccine shot Wednesday but said she knows of others still struggling to get theirs.

“Very frustrating and I would say almost humiliating to have to beg for something you thought you were registered for,” said Lowy.

Gov. Inslee’s office did not immediately respond to KIRO 7′s request Wednesday night for details on additional doses to help Swedish.

“We are aware that some first dose vaccine recipients have not yet scheduled their second dose,” said Overlake Medical Center & Clinics in a statement to KIRO 7 Wednesday. “Per guidance from public health authorities, we have identified and are contacting these individuals in order to complete their vaccination process within the 3-6 week time frame recommended by CDC.”