Letters to the Editor: Kaiser members are either very happy or frustrated with their vaccine experience

To the editor: I am 77 and seem to spend most of my time these days waiting in lines. My snarls are Oscar worthy. Consequently, I am still in a state of amazement from my extraordinary vaccine experience at Kaiser Permanente. (“Kaiser Permanente, partner in California vaccine effort, stumbles vaccinating its own,” March 9)

Yes, there was a line, but everything was so organized and well-handled by employees who actually smiled. I’ve boasted to everyone about the seamlessness of getting both shots.

Gold stars to everyone who managed to create a system that was perfectly executed and left me with a big grin on my face.

Ruth Kramer Ziony, Los Feliz

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To the editor: I have been a very frustrated Kaiser member during this vaccine rollout.

First, I tried to get an appointment for my 70-year-old mother who is a member, but she was turned away because they were only vaccinating people 75 and older. I ultimately got her a shot at Rite Aid.

Next I tried to get an appointment for a 64-year-old Black male member who takes public transportation, works in the food industry and lives in a group home with other senior Black males. No luck again. I was told to get him an appointment elsewhere.

It’s pretty hard to get a shot at Dodger Stadium with no car or at a local pharmacy when appointments are booked for months. Members pay thousands to Kaiser each year, and some cannot get shots even when they are eligible according to government guidelines.

However, Kaiser is also vaccinating nonmembers. Why not prioritize paying members who are eligible to receive a vaccine?

Caitlin Prennace, Culver City

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To the editor: I received my first vaccine dose at Kaiser on Feb. 13, and I wrote a complaint letter the next day. I am 77 years old and spent two hours outside in cold and wind waiting with other seniors with no place to sit and no shelter from the elements.

Inside the clinic, I spent another 20 minutes in line standing. They were short staffed and did not appear to be using their personnel strategically.

On March 6, I received my second shot at a different Kaiser clinic and was in and out in 30 minutes. Organization and adequate staffing made all the difference.

Elizabeth Johnson, Los Angeles