About 2.2 million shots of vaccination are now administered every day. Eligibility varies wildly by state, but some hoping to score a dose have found success by skipping the waiting list.
The line outside a county-run vaccination center in River Grove, Illinois, was more than 50 people deep and was growing. Not a single person had an appointment there. Some don’t even qualify. But they all had the same idea.
“To try to get a vaccine,” Dave Moore, one of the people waiting in line, told CBS News.
“They’ll come out and let you know if they have any extras or something,” said Amy Voyles, another person hoping to get the vaccine.
Between the limited supply and the challenges of signing up for a shot, to the precise shelf life of the cold-storage vaccine, those waiting in line hope for canceled appointments, no-shows, and extra doses that could otherwise end up in the trash .
“We gave it a try,” Marley Berk told CBS News.
Some who decided to risk it have made the hunt for an extra dose an almost daily habit. “I came on Tuesday,” said Todd Nelson.
Voyles tells CBS News she showed up: “Saturday and every day this week except Monday.”
And medical experts agree that if you can get an injection, you should.
“I absolutely believe that ethically the requirement never wastes an opportunity,” said Dr. Arthur Caplan, director of medical ethics at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, to CBS News. “We haven’t spent time talking about what to do with the surplus.”
In line at the Illinois vaccination site, as the sun went down and more than three hours passed, those who waited got some bad news: A nurse told the group, “Hey guys. We’re closed.”