At 8 a.m. On Monday, Jan. 25, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources launched the Everbridge COVID-19 Vaccination Pre-Registration System.
According to the DHHR’s website, “Everbridge, [is] a global provider of critical event management technologies. The tool enables West Virginians to pre-register for COVID-19 vaccination and receive updates through text, phone call and/or email.”
West Virginia is the first state in the country to utilize the Everbridge system. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice first announced the rollout of the new system during his Thursday, Jan. 21 coronavirus response media-briefing.
“Now they [Everbridge] are going to help us coordinate vaccines as we get them from the federal government,” Justice said. “This system gives you the ability to put your information in directly and helps us coordinate, when vaccines are available, to notify you when and where to come to get your vaccine.”
Those individuals already on a waiting list through their county health department or medical provider do not need to take any action. Those individuals, as well as anyone who has already received the first course of the vaccine, will be automatically integrated into the new system.
“This will keep people from having to call out health departments time and time again and overwhelming our phone lines,” Justice went on to say. “I’m trying every way in the world I possibly can to make things easier and better for you, because I don’t like the fact that you’re having to call and call and call in the current system.”
For the first week, the Everbridge System will be open to residents age 65 and older for pre-registration.
Those wishing to be vaccinated should visit vaccinate.wv.gov to enter their information for pre-registration. In the coming weeks, scheduling vaccination appointments will also be an available functionality of the system.
“Governor Justice tasked DHHR with figuring out a vaccination registration and scheduling tool for West Virginians to use,” DHHR Cabinet Secretary Bill Crouch said. “This new service allows West Virginians to directly enter their information into the computer, or with assistance from the Vaccine Info Line, and will keep folks from having to call multiple times to our local health departments whose phone lines are already overwhelmed.”
Anyone unwilling or unable to use the online pre-registration system is still able to utilize the West Virginia COVID-19 Vaccination Info Line by calling 1-833-734-0965 to be added to the waiting list.
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