Print article Carla Helfferich, an Alaskan since statehood, exhausted her ample supply of profanity when she tried to call the state’s COVID-19 hotline during the rocky senior vaccine rollout earlier this month. Helfferich, a Fairbanks resident over 65, was eligible to schedule an appointment. But she didn’t know where to start. So she called the state hotline. Over and over. Helfferich did get an appointment, but only after hearing a rumor about availability. She never got through on the state number. “I found the situation stunningly bizarre,” she said. It comes too late for Helfferich and thousands of seniors who maxed out the hotline earlier this month. But as of this week, people with COVID-19 questions now get to talk to a person. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services announced the change this week: Callers will either get immediately connected with someone or be put on hold until someone is available.
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