State opens second-dose registration for those in January mass vaccination events

Delaware has opened registration for second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for residents who were vaccinated in mass events sponsored by the state.

Second doses will be offered in all three counties and will be handled by Curative, the company that also has provided much of the state’s pop-up COVID-19 testing.

These sites will only offer the Moderna vaccine. Later events in February will offer both Moderna and Pfizer.

Next week’s second dose events will be Feb. 15-19 at Delaware Technical Community College campuses in Dover, Wilmington and Georgetown. They are designed for  Phase 1A-eligible Delaware workers and 65+ Delawareans who received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at state-sponsored large vaccination events.

In total, 3,800 second dose appointments will be available.

The events are aimed at the people are those who got their first dose in the state-sponsored mass events Dover DMV on Jan. 16, 17 or 18 or at Salesianum School on Jan. 18. They were largely in phase 1A and part of phase 1b and consist of healthcare workers and people 65 and older.

The state’s appointment system cannot validate where someone received their first vaccine. That’s why the state officials are asking people to allow those who received their vaccination at a state-sponsored event to sign up for the Curative slots.

Anyone without proof of first vaccination on or before Jan. 18 will be turned away from the vaccination events, even if they have an appointment.

Here’s where to register for the site of your choice:

For Georgetown: https://curative.com/sites/25123

For Dover: https://curative.com/sites/25081

 For Wilmington: https://curative.com/sites/25122

Those who received their first vaccination on or before Jan. 18 at an enrolled pharmacy or​ health care provider should try to contact their provider or pharmacy to schedule a second dose appointment before attempting to register for any state-sponsored event, a state press release said.

The State of Delaware will allocate second dose vaccines to enrolled providers as close to the 21- to 28-day window as federal supply allows.

Additional state-sponsored, second-dose events are expected to begin as early as Feb. 20 for individuals who received their first dose at state-sponsored events. Those events are expected to include both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

“Our goal is to vaccinate as many Delawareans as possible, as quickly and equitably as possible,” Gov. John Carney said in the press release. “The second dose events will temporarily reduce our ability to expand access to first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“But we are making significant progress in vaccinating vulnerable 65+ Delawareans and front-line health care workers. That will help limit spread of COVID-19 and serious illness among our most vulnerable populations.”

Betsy Price

Betsy Price is a Wilmington freelance writer who has 40 years of experience, including 15 at The News Journal in Delaware.