Problem with leaked links for vaccine appointments should be fixed next week, state says

For weeks, people across Virginia have been sharing signup links for coronavirus vaccine events with others they weren’t meant for, leading to hundreds being turned away after showing up at inoculation sites set up for limited groups.

Shot providers have struggled to tamp down on the practice, but on a call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, state officials said PrepMod — the new software Virginia’s public health officials are using to schedule and plan vaccination events — should fix the problem by Feb. 24.

“One of the loopholes is that when you get a link you can send it to somebody else (and) they can actually schedule an appointment,” said Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s vaccine coordinator. “We recognize that that has been a huge issue for providers on the ground.”

In Chesapeake, for example, someone shared a link on the social media platform Nextdoor, and “within minutes,” hundreds of people who don’t qualify in this phase signed up, Kimi Stevens, a health department spokesperson, told The Virginian-Pilot last week.

[ Previous coverage: Hundreds who weren’t eligible signed up for a Chesapeake vaccine clinic after a link leaked on social media ]

On a brief call Thursday, she said she was thankful for Avula’s efforts.

“He knows what it’s like to be here. He’s not someone just in an office somewhere up in Richmond,” Stevens said. “I am tickled stupid that they have him in charge of this because he will get answers.”

The same problem happened earlier this month at a vaccine clinic in Norfolk after another link was leaked. It led to long lines outside a former Macy’s at Military Circle mall that’s being used as a vaccination site.

The issue has stemmed from registration links available to anyone without screening.

In Chesapeake, the event information shared on Nextdoor was meant only for healthcare workers and seniors. Local officials had to contact, one by one, those who registered but weren’t eligible to tell them not to come.

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This widespread problem has taken valuable time from vaccine providers and frustrated people who are confused about how to get a shot.

Cheryl Lemmon, 61, said she reported to the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Feb. 9 after she received an email that allowed her to sign up for an appointment. She did not realize the appointment wasn’t legitimate until she was turned away.

After further investigation, she found out the email had been forwarded to her and almost 100 others by a stranger. She said she saw a long line at the vaccine event.

“It was pandemonium,” Lemmon said. “There were a number of people who were not very happy.”

Lemmon uses a walker. She has undergone several back surgeries and lives with scoliosis. She said it feels like someone is stepping on her shoulders most of the time, so getting around is difficult and she can’t stand for long periods of time.

“I very much resent the person who sent the email,” Lemmon said. “They did no favor for me at all.”

Ana Ley, 757-446-2478, ana.ley@pilotonline.com