It's absolutely BS how the State of New Hampshire is handling the second shot scenario! WHY do you need to make ANOTHER appointment after you struggle to make your first one?

I only say this because in Florida the Publix Supermarket chain is handling many of the Vaccinations in the State. Once you make your first appointment they AUTOMATICALLY provide you an appointment in 28 days, and tell you to return at the exact same time. Easy. Done. No more hassles!

Automatic second appointments should be the rule of the day. All 50 States should climb on board the same train.......

i sent a note to WMUR reporter who had a great article yesterday on the issue. Following is her reporting just a few minutes ago via an email to me. Stand by....this is just "breaking news"!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Below is from Jean Mackin, WMUR

How frustrating and you are NOT alone.
We just got an update so I wanted to pass this along right away:

State is apologizing for technical issue with the CDC VAMS website not allowing 2nd dose appointment scheduling today.
The VAMS website was not seeing NH locations. State says it’s working on issue, those locations should appear by end of today or tomorrow.

Perry Plummer says they know how many people need dose two, the state has those doses, and people will have appointments within 7 days of when they’re due.

For now, asking for patience. Everyone will be able to get on and schedule or reschedule to an appropriate time.

2-1-1 is swamped and cannot help schedule or reschedule a 2nd dose right now

Jennifer Crompton will have full reporting today - she just conducted the interview with the state.

Take care,
Jean Mackin

pondguy
 

i have my 1st appointment at LRCC coming up- sorry to hear there are problems scheduling your 2nd.
Question- Is this a drive-up facility or in-building?
Thanks in advance!

My parents went to LRCC. You stay in your car. They said it was extremely organized!

We went to Nashua High on Monday. There were about 6-8 cars in the lot when we arrived and I think we were the last ones for the day. That was good as that's when the snow was really picking up and the Guard men and women already had a full day. We pulled into a parking spot and they came to us. I feared a really long line and a lot of shuffling up the line. Other than the problems with making our second appointment I have to say that it has been well planned and executed. They've committed to fixing the second appointments today or tomorrow. It could be worse. You could be in Boston having to wait in line at Gillette or Fenway. And they're only scheduling 75 and over.

Wmur
 

Tummyman - I got the same note from Jean Mackin. Nice but its not helping. WMUR is not getting the full story

I just talked to 211 again (2/3 at 7:15 am). Very nice young man but he basically told me we're being lied to about the appointments and availibility. We need one for 2/23 and he said don't even bother looking before this weekend. Sounds to me like Perry Plummer (NHDHHS) who says on TV that everything is being fixed and there is plenty of supply is all but lying to us. Supply is arriving weekly (to be expected) but appointment piece and scheduling is not going to improve soon

I tried again this morning on VAMS for the 2nd shot and succeeded in getting a later appointment than my previously too late appointment. Very frustrating and will just wait until better news although my “new appointment “ is beyond anyone’s acceptable time limits after the first shot. It’s now about 9 weeks.

Scheduling is offline now so I hope they're inserting the fix.

Finally!!!
 

Site finally opened up, was able to get March 5th in Concord (32 days after doze 1).

No luck anywhere within 50 miles except 8 weeks out.

Just went on at 2:50PM Wednesday Feb 3. Site may be on line, but appointment process is still a mess. Nothing available in March. We are still out 8 weeks and cannot improve things. Allegedly they were going to have sites for second shots only, but nothing. It is time for the state to stop this game and tell people by email that they should not schedule anything now until the site is fixed. Shut it down. I am sick and tired of cancelling and then trying tp reschedule. VAMS is a total pain in the a- - !!!! ALL statements from NH about fixing this mess are wrong. Sad, since the process of first shots went so smoothly, including the extremely organized Nat'l Guard folks who administered the shots.

Time Traveler, in post #165, explained how Publix in Florida is doing it, and that’s the only system that makes any sense! NH could be saving a lot of manpower and angst if they would incorporate such a simple system for scheduling and administering the vaccine. Huggins has a similar system also, as described by winni83, but we weren’t fortunate enough to obtain an appointment there. Argh! Leave it to the bureaucrats to complicate something that could be much simpler.

We're trying to use a broken CDC site. I think it's out NH hands at this point. Remember you don't need your second shot until the beginning or March and I hope they'll figure this out to get us back on schedule. There's plenty of time but it's still frustrating.

To be clear, it’s only a very limited number of Publix doing this, and none anywhere near me.

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GG, I was really pointing out the system rather than the site. We had our flu shots at Publix last year, and it was very efficiently done.

They are having a terrible time getting appointments at Publix also.

The Union Leader just reported that NH is going to trash VAMS and develop its own system for appointments. Not clear when that happens or what happens to those who have appointments. Can’t post link but Google. Sorry. I did not realize that only a few states had adopted VAMS.

Here is the link. I too had no idea that VAMS was not used by most states. Tragic situation for sure,

https://www.unionleader.com/news/hea...0bd45220f.html

Many people in Florida are having the same problems getting in when the appointments become available. My niece in Rye, NH got a Florida Publix appointment for me on Sunday January 31, at 3:24 PM. The second shot was scheduled in the same confirmation email for 28 days out. I arrived at 3:05 PM had the shot by 3:15, and after a 10 minute waiting period I was out the door.

What I find interesting is that many Florida people are having trouble getting in on the website and my niece in Rye has now been able to get 11 Florida people appointments. I have no idea how that works!

Keep in mind that my beef with the New Hampshire rollout of the Corona Virus Vaccines is not the first injection. My question is why does New Hampshire make folks go through the hoops AGAIN in order to get a second injection? There's a better way to do it and Publix in Florida does it properly (Publix has folks return at the same time frame in 21 or 28 days for an automatic second injection WITHOUT signing up again for a second appointment).

All 50 States have sign up issues for the first injection, and sadly nothing can be done about that until the supply exceeds the demand.

Again, there is no reason to make anyone go thru a second sign up process when it can be done automatically.

We did get our shots of Moderna yesterday afternoon. We don't have 2nd appointments yet, the earliest shown is March 31. The Governor says that a scheduling fix is in the works so we will wait to schedule the 2nd shots.

The National Guard was well organized. They did not make use of the QR codes that we had and they gave us the same list of questions that we had completed online. At the time of receiving the shot you verbally say that none of the conditions apply.

They check your ID, find you on the list and then you are directed to a parking spot. There are 3 long rows marked with cones so there is an open space on each side. I was on time for my 3:40 appointment and parked by 3:45. Then a long wait. My wife had a 4:00 time and I saw her park near the start of another row. So it looked like two time slots of cars, maybe 40 or 50 total, were in place then the vaccination staff with carts started down each row. I got the jab at 4:10 and my wife at about 4:12. Then you put your flashers on , wait 15 minutes and then leave. Flashers on, means that you have received the shot.

Just prior to the shot an assistant takes your ID and then after the shot gives the ID back along with a filled out card.

Someone on my town forum posted not long ago that the VAMS system is up and running as s/he was able to schedule a second shot much closer to the first. YMMV.

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Yes, just got 2nd shot appointment exactly when I wanted.

Refresh
 

You have to be diligent. My wife and I have been refreshing site every 10 min - it paid off - we got an appt on our first eligible day al beit late in the day

Still trying for 2nd shot, but have faith. Curiosity, has anybody had any reactions to Moderna first shot. Wife had slight fever, muscle aches, tired, no energy for about 24 hours, then it went away. Wondering if anyone else experienced any similar issues.

Curious...
 

Where did this take place?
Did you and your wife apply separately and, therefore, received different times?

Something is very weird when I try to schedule. Some times I can't connect. Sometimes it takes me to April 3rd and other times to April 6th.

We had our first shot of Moderna on January 28th. I had mild soreness in my arm for a day. My wife had more significant soreness for several days. No other reactions. It seems that the second shot may produce more symptoms, but nothing too serious.

Laconia; LRCC. Yes we had separate appointments, did not trust the add a person feature.

Was able to finally schedule second Moderna vaccination at 6:15 this evening. Appointment is for 6 Mar (5 days late) in Plymouth.

Very, very mild reaction to first vaccination - took Tylenol and very mild headache and muscle pains went away quickly. That persisted for about two days. No big deal at all.


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I'm finally coming to the conclusion that this is hosed. I thought they would figure it out this week but I'm not so sure. I read the Union Leader and WMUR stories and get more confused. Am I supposed to book an April appointment or not? Will someone from the State contact me? Will my April appointment get switched to March? When I went to the NH website there's no information. I guess I'll need to call 211 tomorrow.

Thank you.

I'll find out, tomorrow, if the add a person thing worked (reason foe asking!)- I hope tomorrow's coming snow won't affect things

WMUR- starting Sunday, all first vaccinations will come with a card declaring the appointment for the second shot. Also- previously set 2nd appointments should now be easy to cancel, and then go and reschedule. I don't know if this means two trips to VAMS or not- but the Governor said it was fixed!

I've been into VAMS a hundred times. Nothing has been fixed.

It’s my understanding,from WMUR and Gov. Sununu, from now on, when you receive shot #1, you will be assigned the date/time/place of the 2nd shot. Therefore, there won’t be a need to engage in the frustrating exercise of trying to schedule the next. Fingers crossed.
Oops...my bad....the new system starts Sunday, 2/7.

VAMS scheduling works great
 

Got my first jab today at the Armory in Plymouth. Great crew of soldiers, including the medic that gave the jab. When I got home an hour later, I logged into VAMS and there were plenty of appointments within 100 miles. The earliest date I found was March 20 and most appointments were in April. The folks that gave me the jab weren't scheduling appointments and so far, I haven't received an email telling me what to do next. For me, logging into my VAMS account and clicking on "schedule an appointment" worked great. Would I rather have a March 3'rd date and get the second jab right on day 28? Sure. But, two and a half weeks late is well within spec, so I am happy. So far (3 hours), the only effect I can notice is a light pressure at the injection site in my arm. About the weight of a small paper notebook resting on the arm.

Yes our expedience as well

2nd appts
 

Our experience is that you literally have to go in and check VAMS every 10 -15 min It changes that fast. We've been able to move up our appt to within 48hrs of our desired date. Other people are doing this because appts disappear while you are watching. Click on the time as soon as you see it or its gone!!!
The spouse/partner add on does work - we did not find it an issue at all.

Starting Sunday governor says state will start the 1st shot 2nd appt given policy. This doesn't help the thousands that have already given 1st shot and struggling to get the second timely appt

It took two hours on hold but I got through on 211 this morning. We're now on a call back list to schedule our second appointment. I was told i will get a call within two weeks and the second shot will be within 7 days of the recommended date.

Is there no end to this
 

I got my perfect appointment 2 days ago.

It took 13 tries over several days. Last night I got a series of emails from VAMS each one stating that I had cancelled an appointment. The last one said I cancelled an appointment 2 days ago and have not rescheduled and need to do it.

I went on VAMS and my perfect appointment is there as well as the correct list of cancellations and rescheduling, including my correct appointment as scheduled.

This has been very disconcerting. Of course, after each cancel, reappointment I immediately got VAMS confirmation and email.

But this suggests a VAMS glitch. Not what we need right now. I did take screenshots confirming my appointment “just in case” but not comfortable with this.

Has this delayed, inaccurate VAMS communication happened to anyone else?

2nd Appt
 

Newbie - Exact same experience except I didn't get an email saying I cancelled and had not rescheduled. My wife and I did go thru several days and MANY hours monitoring the VAMS site and locations looking for available appts to open on the day we wanted. Finally got it yesterday - our 2nd appt is exactly 28 days and 4 hrs from the 1st shot - perfect.
2 weeks after that we hope to have some normality back in our life - al beit still wearing masks and keeping distances to protect everyone else