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Oakland County is warning about a possible scam related to COVID-19 vaccine appointments and is urging folks not to provide callers with their personal and financial information. Two people have reported to county officials about the calls, in which the caller asks questions in order to schedule a supposed vaccine appointment. Then the caller asks for personal and financial information. The caller is representing himself or herself as a public health worker, said Bill Mullan, spokesman for County Executive Dave Coulter. (Hall, 2/23)

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is apologizing for turning away two people eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday because they could not prove they live in the United States. On Feb. 21, it posted a statement on Twitter. UT Health Rio Valley, the clinical practice of the university, stated it "apologizes to those patients who were affected" and "did not follow the most current State of Texas guidelines." Proof of residency and citizenship are not required to get the vaccine, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services — as stated in guidance on the agency's website. UT-RGV spokesperson Patrick Gonzalez confirmed the university did not follow state protocol. (Cabrera, 2/22)

Maryland officials will launch a one-stop, preregistration web portal soon for people looking to book COVID-19 immunization appointments at the state’s mass vaccination clinics. The website would come online in March, the state’s acting health secretary Dennis R. Schrader told Maryland state senators at a virtual vaccine oversight meeting Monday. (Miller, 2/22)

As Marylanders seek appointments to get vaccinated for COVID-19, the “Maryland Vaccine Hunters” Facebook group has become a helpful resource. The group, which now has over 28,000 members Friday morning, is littered with tips and tricks to help those who visit the page get themselves and their loved ones vaccinated. (Ruiz, 2/23)

As Vermont continues into mass vaccination strategy, early data suggests that long-term care residents and staff around the state have faired better in the past month due to its rollout. Vaccination clinics have been administered in eldercare homes since news of the dosages arrival to Vermont. Long-term care homes began to receive vaccination doses as early as late December. Since then, nearly three-fourths of long-term care residents have received both vaccine doses, in addition to about half of the state's long-term care staff, according to Mike Smith, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Human Services, in a news conference on Feb. 19. (Bakuli, 2/22)

KHN: In �Թϲ����� Of The Shot 

Too little covid vaccine and too great a demand: That’s what KHN readers from around the country detail in their often exasperating quest to snag a shot, although they are often clearly eligible under their local guidelines and priority system. Public health officials say the supply is growing and will meet demand in several months, but, for now, readers’ experiences show how access is limited. Some savvy readers report no problem getting in line for the vaccine, but others say that balky application processes and lack of information have stymied their efforts. Their unedited reports are a good snapshot of the mixed situation around the country. (2/22)

Professional athletes will soon get access to the Covid-19 vaccines that promise a return to normalcy after a year of pandemic sports. But now the country’s biggest and richest leagues are dealing with another problem: The players haven’t decided if they want the shot. NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball officials say a significant percentage of players—perhaps even a majority in some leagues—have expressed concerns about taking the vaccine when it becomes available to them.  (Cohen and Beaton, 2/22)

A little over a third of North Carolina’s correctional staff want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to an informal survey by state prison leaders. The remaining employees, about 65 percent of detention staff, don’t want the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination is currently optional for correctional staff. (Critchfield, 2/22)