State officials are urging patience ahead of a busy week for New Hampshire’s vaccine registration website and asking people to consider not registering first thing in the morning on their designated eligibility date.
“We have made upgrades to the system which will allow more than 1,000 people per minute to register with plenty of appointments for everyone,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a Sunday press release. “Also, instead of overrunning the system early in the morning, I ask individuals to consider registering during lower volume times to help ensure a smooth and orderly day for all registrants.”
(Questions about how to register for the COVID-19 vaccine? NHPR can help.)
By the end of this week, every New Hampshire resident over age 16 will be able to register for a COVID-19 vaccine. Those in their 40s will be able to register starting Monday morning using the state's online registration system or by calling 211. Those in their 30s will be able to register starting at the same time on Wednesday, and registration will open up to those over age 16 Friday morning. State officials have not yet responded to a question about what time the registration website will open for each age group.
(Read more: N.H. Expands Vaccine Eligibility to All Age Groups Over 16)
When registration opened up to those over age 50 last week, New Hampshire’s newly launched Vaccine and Immunization Network Interface (VINI) lagged under the weight of heavy demand. While most of the technical issues appeared to subside after several hours, the initial delays and error messages frustrated many registrants.
Hoping to avoid a repeat as more age groups take their turn this week, state officials said they’re launching a new “online waiting room” meant to provide a clearer sense of how long the process will take. According to Sununu’s office, “the feature will share an estimated number of minutes until it’s their turn to proceed through the registration and appointment process.”
State officials also advised people to use only one device at a time when registering.
“Individuals who attempt to sign on with multiple devices risk having longer wait times and will contribute to a slower registration process,” the state said.
