Government says re-booking second doses going smoothly, but some seniors beg to differ
Three days into allowing Quebecers to move up their appointments for a second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, the provincial government is insisting things are going smoothly, but some are taking exception with that version of events.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said that “despite some necessary adjustments, the appointment system works well. It is indeed very successful in recognizing the people registered, as well as the nature of the vaccine received during the first appointment.”
On Monday, the province rolled out a new system that would allow some Quebecers who received their first doses to move up their appointments to an earlier date. Initially, a 16 week gap was given between doses, but with the availability of vaccines increasing, that was changed to eight weeks. As of Monday, Quebecers who are 80 or older were eligible to reschedule, with each business day that minimum age decreasing by five years.
But on Monday, several Montreal residents told CTV News they had had issues navigating the Clic Sante portal, with many others taking to social media to express their frustration with repeated error messages and other technical issues.
In their statement, the government acknowledged some issues with the portal, saying it was “most likely due to a mismatch in personal information or missing information when making the first dose appointment. Time slots are available in sufficient quantity for everyone.”
But 70-year-old Michael Ryshpan said that he, too, encountered numerous headaches in his quest to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Early on Wednesday, just after midnight, he attempted to book his new appointment but received an error message telling him he was not yet eligible.
He said he tried once more at 8 a.m. and received the same error. After trying a third time after breakfast, he encountered a new problem.
“Now, it gave me an error message saying 'We can't identify you,'” he said.
Ryshpan sent a screengrab of the error message to CTV News. The message states that “It is possible that there were identification errors during your first appointment” and Ryshpan could “go to a walk-in vaccination clinic in your area to correct your information, you will be able to receive your vaccine at the same time.”
He said he went to Decarie Square, where he received his first dose, only to once again be stymied as he was told the clinic was not taking walk-ins.
After showing a print-out of the Clic Sante error message and refusing to leave, Ryshpan was eventually given his vaccine, but said while at Decarie Square, he saw dozens of people turned away for similar reasons.
“There were other people who actually got e-mails to go to the vaccination centre to get their shots. These people were all being turned away,” he said. “I hold Clic Sante and the government totally responsible for this. I heard a lot of people complaining they were getting errors.”
In their statement, the government advises that those who continue to have difficulties booking their second shots ask a loved one for help, or head to a walk-in clinic to correct their information and get their second vaccine. Failing that, the government said there is one more option: keeping your original vaccination date, which could be months away.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.