PROVIDENCE, R.I (AP) — As part of its plan to get the coronavirus vaccine to residents who cannot leave their homes, Rhode Island health officials on Friday launched a website to gather information about the housebound.
The site does not allow people to sign up for a vaccination appointment — it is simply to collect information for planning purposes, the state Department of Health said in a statement.
The information in most cases is already being provided by cities and towns and home health agencies, but the state wants to make sure everyone limited to their homes is covered.
Health care providers or family members can help fill out the form, the agency said.
The state is currently vaccinating residents 75 and older, and starting Monday, people 65 and older will be eligible to make vaccination appointments.
Also, the number of retail pharmacies in the state offering the vaccine will increase significantly by the end of next week, the agency said. CVS should be vaccinating at 14 locations, up from the current seven, while Walgreens should be vaccinating at 24 locations, up from the current 15.
The federal government is doubling the amount of doses going to CVS next week. CVS was receiving roughly 3,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine per week, but in addition to those doses, CVS will be receiving an additional 3,500 doses of Pfizer per week, the agency said.
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VACCINATIONS POSTPONED
Coronavirus vaccine appointments scheduled for Friday at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Newport campus have been postponed a day because of snow.
Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano said the Friday cancellations were “due to the inclement weather concerns,” The Newport Daily News reported.
The vaccination site at CCRI is a collaboration between the city and Middletown.
“If you had an approved vaccination appointment, please show up Saturday, Feb. 20 at the CCRI campus instead at the same scheduled time,” said an announcement on Middletown’s website.
