LOUISVILLE, Ky. — All Louisvillians age 70 and older who want the COVID-19 vaccine are now asked to join a waitlist. Anyone who signed up for the vaccine "interest" list previously posted on Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness’ (LMPHW) website was emailed Tuesday with further instructions.
Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of LMPHW, said Tuesday, during the department’s weekly COVID-19 briefing with Louisville’s Mayor Greg Fischer, that about 7,000 to 10,000 Louisvillians age 70 and older get the COVID-19 vaccine every week.
“So we could be done with 70-plus in two weeks if we had the supply; unfortunately, that is not the case. Supply is very, very limited so it’s going to take months,” Moyer said.
Initially, LMPHW had a vaccine "interest" sign-up for seniors on its website. Moyer said the form was removed Tues., Jan. 26, and anyone who signed-up should have received an email the same day explaining the new process.
The three healthcare partners giving the COVID-19 vaccine to Louisville-area residents are Baptist Health, UofL Health, and Norton Healthcare.
If you didn’t sign-up for LMPHW’s vaccine "interest" list, Moyer recommends trying and sign-up for an appointment online if one of the three is your provider.
If none are your provider or there isn’t an appointment available, Moyer said to go straight to Norton Healthcare’s website to get on the waitlist. As of Tuesday morning, there were 14,000 on the waitlist.
“We expect that waitlist to take until April to get through everyone who is interested, but you might get vaccinated tomorrow,” Moyer explained. “So one of the boxes is ‘Are you available within 30 minutes to come in to get the shot,’ and if you have that flexibility please check that box because we know our healthcare partners want to get you in as fast as they can if there is an extra opening.”
Moyer said Louisville chose to have a waitlist because LMPHW didn’t want people to wait in long lines or overnight to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Moyer said the department also wants to avoid people showing up to a scheduled appointment that gets canceled due to limited supply of the vaccine.
“We have less appointments scheduled right now as the supply is unstable, but everyone that has had an appointment scheduled is getting vaccinated. So that’s a plus,” she said.
Dr. Moyer said LMPHW is also working on a plan to vaccinate those seniors 70 and older who are homebound. In the meantime, she said to make sure your home caretakers are vaccinated, and she recommends limiting home visits.
Here are links to COVID-19 vaccine appointment websites for each provider mentioned:
- Norton Healthcare (you will be added to the official waitlist if no appointment is available)
- UofL Health
- Baptist Health
When appointments do become available, LMPHW recommends the following:
- Do not sign up with multiple providers. Due to available supply, appointments are limited. It may take several weeks to get an appointment.
- People who don’t have internet access can have a family member or friend register them.
- If you have health insurance, including Medicare, you must bring your insurance card but there is no cost to you, regardless of your insurance status.