NEW ORLEANS — Ochsner Health says it has not wasted a single dose of the COVID vaccine so far, despite a huge demand and here's how they say they did it.
Appointments are the way to go
Despite having to cancel more than 21,000 Louisiana COVID vaccine appointments because of limited vaccine dose numbers, Ochsner's CEO Warner Thomas said appointments were easier to work with.
Waiting in line for a vaccine wouldn't have worked, Thomas said.
The more than 21,000 vaccine appointments that have been cancelled now form a waitlist, and as soon as a vaccine is available, the next person on that list gets a call.
"It's been pretty responsive," Thomas said during a web press conference Monday afternoon. "We have not wasted any vaccine."
Thomas said patients are on the waitlist in the order of their appointments— the sooner the appointment, the higher up the list the name is.
He said people looking to get the COVID vaccine at an Ochsner facility can go online and create a My Ochsner account (you can do that here).
Prospective COVID vaccine recipients can still make appointments at Ochsner retail pharmacies, but state requirements still stand.
Ochsner has taken steps to logistically prepared for a much larger number of COVID vaccine doses than they have received so far.
Warner said Ochsner Health can receive, store, and administer more COVID vaccines than the state can provide, at least as of Monday.
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