BUFFALO, N.Y. — Many senior citizens who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are having a tough time navigating the system to get an appointment.
Sharon Searles, 65, told 2 On Your Side, "I keep running into these brick walls and I keep getting shuffled off to this site and to that site." And Searles will tell you she knows how to use a computer, but she has run into problems trying to sign up for a vaccine.
She says the website keeps crashing, and calls to the New York State Health Department's COVID-19 line has been another source of irritation.
"You keep getting a recorded message that says that they have an high call volume and they unable to take any calls at the present time," Searles said.
Searles is immunocompromised and like many seniors the frustration is building with trying to either get online, find a pharmacy or provider with the vaccine and make an appointment.
"What will happen is they are going to give up and not bother to want to take the shot because it's too much of a hassle," Searles said.
"They need to have some place where seniors can go and have an advocate to get appointments for them," Searles said. She suggested community centers.
Governor Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary about doses held in reserve as the CDC expanded eligibility.
New York wants to bypass the federal government and try to purchase doses of the vaccine directly from Pfizer.
2 On Your Side reached out to various organizations, but they were closed for the holiday. We will continue to follow up to see if they have plans in place to help seniors.
You can read the full letter below: