‘The sheer volume is immense’: Wake County website for vaccine waitlist crashes

RALEIGH, N.C. — A website that allows seniors to join a waitlist for getting the coronavirus vaccine has crashed in North Carolina’s Wake County.

Wake County spokeswoman Stacy Beard told WRAL on Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of people visited the website within seconds of each other.

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“The sheer volume is immense,” she said.

County officials had created the waitlist system so people wouldn’t have to wait in lines to get a vaccine. After signing up online or by phone, they will get a call when a vaccine appointment is available.

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The website is designed to allow Wake County residents who are 65 years old and older to join a waitlist.

Those who qualify can register for the waitlist by calling 919-250-1515 or online at wakegov.com/vaccine.

“This is not a first-come, first-served system,” Wake County Commissioner Matt Calabria said. “We are prioritizing those in greatest need. If you are 75 and up, we are prioritizing you. We’re also prioritizing folks who used to be in the (Phase) 1A qualification.”