Update: University Medical Center reports that all 7,000 available reservations were made within 10 minutes.
University Medical Center began accepting registrations for its latest batch of vaccines beginning at 12:30 p.m. today. The registration will end when the available doses are spoken for, most likely in minutes.
Tens of thousands of people are likely to try to register at the same time, which will make it difficult for many to get through. UMC is receiving 8,775 doses of the Moderna vaccine this week. Here are some tips on signing up.
- Have a separate device for every person you plan to register. Because the doses go so fast, it is unlikely a couple will have time to register one person and then another. Try to do both registrations simultaneously; it helps to have more than one person involved.
- Open up the link before the scheduled start of registration, then hit refresh until a registration screen appears.
- If you don’t have immediate success, keep checking the site for 30-45 minutes. Some people have reported being able to register at that time.
If you register successfully, you’ll get an email from UMC and eventually a phone call setting an appointment time.
What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in El Paso
Only people in Phase 1A and 1B are eligible. That means health-care workers, people over 65, and people over 16 with conditions that make them vulnerable to complications.
Remember, the amount of doses UMC receives each week is limited and is set by the state. The number of people seeking to register will be much larger than the number of doses available.
Cover photo: A University Medical Center nurse discusses the COVID-19 vaccine with a patient at the El Paso County Coliseum vaccination hub. (Photo courtesy of University Medical Center)
