NEW ORLEANS —
The Louisiana Department of Health is urging people to report issues with receiving the second dose of the COVID vaccine.
It follows reports of people in the Chalmette and New Orleans area who showed up at the scheduled appointment for their second dose and were told there was no shot for them.
One patient, who prefers to remain anonymous, told Eyewitness News that her first and second doses were scheduled within the Walgreens system at two different locations.
When she arrived at the designated pharmacy to receive her second dose, the pharmacy informed her she was not on their list and her vaccine was not available there.
Walgreens tells Eyewitness News that it has recognized an issue within its automated scheduling system, and is working to fix it.
While the company would not confirm how many people were affected, and at which pharmacies, the company says it is working with affected patients to reschedule.
The Louisiana Department of Health told us the situation is unacceptable, writing to us in a statement:
“The Louisiana Department of Health is aware of COVID vaccine recipients encountering problems with getting their second-dose vaccine from multiple Walgreens locations, which is unacceptable. Vaccine providers, including Walgreens, have an obligation to provide the second dose of the vaccine at the same location where the first dose was administered, and to provide it at the appropriate time. If this does not happen, vaccine recipients should report their experience to 211. This will create a record that will allow LDH to follow up with providers to ensure second doses are appropriately administered.”
