BY: CLAIRE KIM
As of recent, official distribution of the coronavirus vaccine has begun in the United States, a prospect that seemed close to impossible in 2020. With a limited supply of vaccines and medical personnel, the vaccination process ushers a challenge that we have yet to consider seriously: though we have a tentative plan as to how vaccines will be given, how will we be effective? How will we serve hundreds of millions of people in a safe and timely manner?
It seems as if an answer to this daunting question has been discussed to some extent. A web search to figure out an optimal date in which my family can receive the vaccine has shown some poignant information—vaccine distributors have been seeking to use online sites like Eventbrite to coordinate local events for potential patients to register, arrive, and receive their vaccines through a seamless web-directed process. It’s quite genius if you ponder on it.
The current musical chair fiasco occurring since coronavirus vaccines have started to enter the market has been a headache in itself. With technology in the works, we can only expect such a cross-section to bring good results for the healthcare industry. The difficulties of finding enough medical staff, facilities, and necessary resources are enough to argue in favor of online sites, especially as the distribution process expands to the general public in the coming months.
The one concern that I may have regarding this online-coordinated distribution is accessibility. As the New York Times states, “ Not everyone has internet access or knows how to use Eventbrite. Those who do will have more luck if they can get online at the right time—whenever a batch of tickets becomes available—which could disadvantage people with slower connections or essential workers who have to maneuver around scheduled shifts.” Equity once again becomes an issue to be discussed further.
Though such event planning comes with its drawbacks, the chance that a situation “like musical chairs with 20 chairs and 4,000 people” becomes a mere fear encourages me to find value in such an enhanced process.
Fortin, Jacey. “Vaccine Demand Has Health Officials Turning to Eventbrite.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Jan. 2021, http://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/us/covid-vaccine-eventbrite.html.
claire kim. 