Coconino County COVID-19 vaccine distribution works to not waste any doses

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. - Coconino County is pledging to not waste any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and in order to ensure that, they've created a new method of a call down list.

The call down list is for any first responders who have still not gotten the vaccine and the county says luckily, they haven’t had to utilize this method much because there are plenty of people who want the vaccine.

Coconino County officials say its vaccine rollout has been busy and successful with the sheer amount of people lining up.

"The call down list is essentially emergency service personnel, teachers who have not been vaccinated and that are on this list and they have agreed at a moment's notice they will do what they can to get to Fort Tuthill," explained Eric Peterson with Coconino County.

The call down list usually utilized by the end of the day. The reason they may have those extra vaccines available is because of what they are calling appointment hoarding.

"We have a high demand. More people want vaccines than we have appointments," Peterson said.

They are urging anyone who cannot get the vaccine to cancel their appointment.

"Some people are forgetting to cancel or are no showing or they may have things come up in life. We understand that, but if you can’t make it, cancel it so we can get that dose in an arm. We don’t want to waste it," Peterson said.

The call down list is only available to those in the first responder category. The county says if you want to get on that list to contact your employer.

Learn more about the county's distribution plan here https://www.coconino.az.gov/2547/Vaccine-Info