“Right now it’s so difficult to know when you’re going to get scheduled or if your first appointment might be in Medina or be an hour, an hour and a half away,” said Joan Seidel, Kent city health commissioner.

As the vaccine continues to be distributed, waitlists to receive leftover doses become more and more popular. Multiple clinics and apps, like Dr. B, allow users to register to receive notifications when a vaccine becomes available. Doses become available as people cancel or don’t show up to their appointments.

Seidel said that these on-call lists have helped guarantee the most vaccinations possible, which greatly helps the community.

“Every single clinic that I have been a part of in giving vaccines, at the end of the clinic, all the vaccines are accounted for — and they all went into arms,” Seidel said.

Ohio’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program will enter Phase 2D March 29. This group includes Ohioans over the age of 16, though any Ohioan can register for a vaccine waitlist.

Since the vaccine program is controlled by the state, Kent has no control over the distribution, but pitches in when it can.

“The Kent City Health Department has been supporting others,” Seidel said. “We’ve worked with AxessPointe, Portage County … NEOMED, the PARTA building, and now the KSU Field House.” 

Various providers have their own waitlists, but you can search for vaccine clinic locations via the CDC.

Ethan Cohen is a COVID-19 reporter. Contact him at [email protected].