Washingtonians will need to 'pack their patience' when COVID vaccine appointments open to all 16 and older

The minute Kirsten Rogers got a push notification on her phone that she would soon be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, she and her husband started looking for an appointment.

They, like all Washingtonians 16 and older, will be able to get in line for a coveted shot on April 15 after Gov. Jay Inslee announced this week the state would throw open eligibility for more than 6 million people.

But when Rogers went online to secure a time, she kept hitting dead ends. Websites crashed and sites that did work didn’t yet have appointments after April 15.

“It’s exhausting to be told we can get vaccinated, but hitting walls at every turn on booking appointments,” said Rogers, who lives in Seattle.