CARLISLE, Pa. — Beginning March 31 at 9 a.m., a phone bank will go live to help people schedule vaccine appointments for the Cumberland County Community Vaccine Clinic. The phone bank is to help people who have otherwise had a hard time accessing internet to secure a vaccine appointment.
According to a 2019 report from the Pew Research Center, nearly 30% of people in the U.S. over the age of 65 do not use the internet. Of those people, more than 40% do not have internet access at home.
When it comes to registering for vaccine appointments, most have been done online. With fewer phone options, those lines have been more easily overwhelmed with calls. This has caused people without internet access to struggle even more when trying to access a COVID-19 vaccine appointment.
The phone bank to help people get COVID-19 vaccine appointments will run Mondays-Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The number to call to make an appointment will be (717) 918-9880. Mostly volunteers will be working the phones to help schedule vaccine appointments. The vaccine appointments will be made for Cumberland County's vaccine clinic at U-Haul on Walnut Bottom Road in South Middleton Township.
In the 12 days since the clinic has opened, they've given out nearly 15,000 shots. Quality Care, Holly, and Big Spring Pharmacies are responsible for the handling and administration of the vaccinations. People can also check www.qcpharmacy.com for COVID-19 vaccine appointments.