Although the COVID-19 vaccine is in short supply, the county Area Agency on Aging is assisting the Butler Health System with scheduling senior citizens for vaccinations.

Beth Herold, agency director, was busy Thursday morning contacting seniors who had called her agency in frustration over not knowing how to get the vaccine.

She said the 100 or so seniors on her list to call do not have knowledge in or access to the internet, where they could look up the state Department of Health's website to see which pharmacy or medical facility in Butler County has a stock of vaccines.

The Butler Health System website also has an online form those older than age 75 can fill out to be scheduled for the vaccine.

But many seniors are not tech-savvy and cannot fill out the online form.

“We are assisting those individuals who have no access to computers,” Herold said.

She added that Butler Health System's scheduling software can't handle the demand for the vaccine, so the Agency on Aging also is assisting them in fielding calls from those seniors and lining them up, if possible, to receive the vaccine.

Herold said the BHS online vaccination portal opens and closes as vaccines are available, so those over age 75 with internet experience should continue to check the website each day.

Before the Area Agency on Aging began assisting Butler Health System with scheduling seniors, those who called the agency with questions on how to get the vaccine were told to visit the Department of Health or Butler Health System websites.

“But that was very confusing for individuals,” Herold said. “We'd give them the numbers to call if they couldn't navigate the sites.”

Then she began meeting with Butler Health System officials about the agency stepping in to help get the vaccine into the hands of senior citizens, which is a demographic that suffers the most dire results if they contract COVID-19.

Herold said those at the agency who are calling seniors about scheduling a vaccine have a six-page guidance sheet, so they can answer all seniors' questions about the shot, including potential side effects.

“We work very hard for the people on this list to get them the vaccine as soon as possible,” Herold said.

Butler Health System freed up a few spots Thursday, and Herold was working to fill those slots with the seniors on her list.

“We are working with the hospital to schedule individuals as vaccine slots become available at the hospital,” Herold said.

She said neither the state's Department of Health nor its Department of Aging has offered her agency any guidance on helping senior citizens get the vaccine.

“I want to stress that we are doing the best we can, and we understand the frustration,” Herold said. “We're doing everything we can to get everyone the vaccine as quickly as possible.”

Marilyn McElhinny, 77, of Evans City, said she had no idea how to get a vaccine when it first arrived in the county.

“A lot of us older people didn't know where to go to get the information or where to sign up, and I did not want to be calling 30 different places,” she said.

McElhinny said the rollout of the vaccines should have been more orderly.

“It's so disorganized,” she said. “They knew it was coming months ago, and nothing was done to set any kind of system.”

McElhinny filled out the online form on the Butler Health System website and hoped she was in line to get a vaccine when a shipment arrives.

She was thrilled to learn that she would receive her vaccine over the weekend, along with everyone else on the list.

“Oh, that's terrific,” McElhinny said.