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Colorado family shares struggle to book second COVID-19 vaccine appointment through Safeway

simon ruiz.jpg
Posted at 11:36 PM, Mar 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-11 01:36:02-05

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DENVER — Days after people were turned away from scheduled vaccinations with a supermarket chain, more people are coming forward to share their frustrations.

Shana Ruiz said she's tried for weeks to schedule an appointment for her grandfather.

"We're still waiting for that second dose," Shana Ruiz said.

Ruiz said her grandfather, Simon, was vaccinated about a month ago at Safeway. He informed the pharmacy he would need to schedule his second vaccine appointment later than the pharmacy's original booking.

"He let them know that he had a surgery, a minor surgery that was coming up in four weeks from the time of his [first] shot," Ruiz said. "So, they knew that, and they gave him the first vaccine and said that there wouldn't be any issues."

Ruiz said when she and her mother followed up to schedule the second vaccine appointment, they were told no appointments were available. Every day following, Ruiz said she called and visited Safeway to book an appointment.

"He [my grandfather] has a brother that is currently in the ICU on the ventilator with COVID, so I think that's kind of triggered a lot of emotions right now," Ruiz said.

Denver7 reached out to Safeway about the situation, and spokesperson said they were unaware of any any scheduling difficulties for second dose appointments. Late Wednesday evening, a Safeway pharmacy contacted Ruiz's family members to schedule Simon's second dose shot.