Kingston parents have trouble booking their children’s immunization appointments – Kingston | The Canadian News

Today was the day that parents with children between the ages of five and 11 were able to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments in Ontario.

In the Kingston area, some parents say they experienced wait times and failures that resulted in booking more than one time slot.

Amanda Ross-White, a mother in the Kingston region, planned her day around the launch of the system at 8 a.m., looking to secure one of the first available appointments, but encountered some difficulties when trying to book an appointment for her 9-year-old son. years.

“I got to work early this morning so I could book right when the site opened at 8 o’clock. There was a bit of waiting, I was waiting, because I know how many parents have been waiting for this moment, so I didn’t mind the wait, ”Ross-White said.

However, she says: “He would not let me reserve for just one child. He kept asking me for four children. So I had to put my son in four times, but I’m sure they will figure it out. “

Online, several people took to Twitter to complain about technical problems with the reservation portal.

Parents who reached out to Global News but did not want to appear on camera called the system confusing and “far from easy to use.”

Local mom Diana Venditti said she was on the site as soon as it opened at 8am, and that she wasted no time in waiting or having trouble finding an available space.

However, she experienced some confusion when the system only accepted the name of one of her children.

“I was able to book two appointments and I was able to get them for this Saturday, so I feel very lucky with that, but it didn’t allow me to add my second son’s name, so I’m not sure if he’s going to be eligible for [a shot] Saturday, ”he said.

Still, she’s relieved. With a high number of active COVID-19 cases in the region and several infections detected in children, Venditti says that vaccinating her children will help her sleep better at night.

“Every day I worry that there is an outbreak in the school, and there is nothing I can do about it, so having the ability to vaccinate them, that’s what I can do with the situation.”

KFL & A Public Health did not respond to a request for comment.