County creates COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration list

Hays County residents will now be able to preregister for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine through a newly announced registry. Residents can sign up to be placed on Hays County's new waitlist at www.haysinformed.com/ covid-19, rather than sign up for specific time slots.

“We are transitioning over to a more robust data management system which will allow citizens to preregister for a vaccine dose when it becomes available,” Hays County Emergency Operations Director Mike Jones said in a statement. “This system allows individuals to take their time to pre-register and not feel rushed to ‘beat the crowd’ for an appointment.”

The new pre-registration system comes after the county’s first two online vaccine sign ups saw slots fill up in 30 minutes each time. During its second sign-up period on Jan. 29, Hays County residents were met with numerous user issues highlighted by a bottleneck caused by a rush of people attempting to access the website. County Judge Ruben Becerra said in his weekly Facebook Live address on Friday that over 70,000 people from across the state attempted to sign up for the county’s 1,950 vaccines. As an established vaccine hub by the state, any Texan can sign up for a vaccine through the Hays County Health Department.

“It was a very stressful time for those trying to get on,” Becerra said Friday. “It was a very stressful time for all of our volunteers answering the phone. It was a very stressful time for everyone involved and it affected all far and wide. We wished that that portal process would not have unfolded as it did because, unfortunately, we do have a national shortage of vaccines, and a statewide shortage and it doesn’t stop at the county line … I will tell you the vaccines that have been coming into Hays County — 1,950 — a majority of those have not been going to Hays County residents.”

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 15,337 Hays County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while only 4,419 residents have been fully vaccinated as of Saturday. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has 162,285 residents who are 16 years or older.

“Pre-registering does not guarantee you an appointment at the next vaccine clinic,” Becerra said in a statement. “It adds your name to a waiting list.” Becerra added that the county will contact 1,950 qualified candidates to receive the Pfizer vaccine each week.

Those who are not selected for that week’s vaccine clinics will remain on the list until they receive an appointment for a dose.

“We feel the frustration from the public about this vaccine rollout,” Hays County Local Health Department Director Tammy Crumley said in a statement. “Rest assured, the pre-registration list will allow us to more effectively distribute the small number of vaccine doses we receive.”