Q&A: Will we have to wait in line for vaccines if we have an appointment?

QWe were two of the hundreds of over-70-year-olds, with appointments, standing in a two-hour line on Jan. 18 at Cashman Center when they accepted walk-ins. We have an appointment for our second dose at the Convention Center. Please find out for us if people with appointments will be handled separately from those without appointments. We really need to prepare better than previously if we’ll be standing a long time again. — B. and M. M., Sun City Summerlin

ATo say that the line situation at large public sites has been fluid would be an understatement.

When the Cashman Center site opened, officials said they were requiring appointments. Not so. We talked to plenty of people who simply showed up, stood in the same line with those who had appointments and were given shots. This occurred before stricter measures were put in place.

The Las Vegas Convention Center second-dose site opened with a requirement for appointments, but with some officials noting that extra doses would be given to walk-ins. Later, the appointment requirement was lifted.

On Friday, the Review-Journal observed there were three lines at the convention center second-dose site: a line for walk-ins that had nearly 100 people, a line of 30 or so for those in wheelchairs or facing trouble standing, and no visible line outside for those with appointments. Those in wheelchairs were not permitted to “jump the line,” an official said, but were not required to inch along in a longer line.

People without appointments said they’d waited several hours to get a shot. For those with appointments, the wait was shorter — 90 minutes to two hours.

Did we mention that the situation has been fluid? Late Friday afternoon, officials took action that could result in shorter lines. Beginning Tuesday, Cashman Center will begin to provide second doses by appointment only, according to officials with the Southern Nevada Health District. The district’s appointment portal showed plenty of appointment availability Friday evening.

The Cashman site will have 1,000 doses to administer daily as second doses and more than adequate numbers of appointments available for those coming due for their second shots, district official Greg Cassell told reporters.

Meanwhile, the convention center site has reached its appointment capacity and will no longer be accepting walk-ins, according to a district news release.

Walk-ins at the convention center had been experiencing waits of four to five hours, Cassell said. He said to plan on an hour or a little longer for the appointment process.