COVID-19 Vaccine Assistance Call Script

Call Center Agent Name*
First Last
Note: If you are seeing this message you are not using the launch link. Please ensure that you are using the InContact launch in the MAX client.
Thank you for calling the Connecticut COVID Assistance Line. My name is _______ and I would be happy to assist you today. I would like to start by asking you a couple of quick questions to better guide the call.
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—Agent Instruction Only—*
Please select your Skill from your InContact MAX client
- Scheduling Skill
- Text Alert
1. Do you speak a language other than English?*
- Yes
- No
What Language do you speak?*
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Polish
- Italian
- German
Do you need an interpreter?*
Does the patient need an interpreter?
- Yes
- No
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2. What can I help you with today.*
- Referring you to a Vaccination Site
- Locating a testing site
- Other Questions
May I please have your zip code?*

If the caller does not know their zip code, that is okay. Enter 05999 in the box. Call agent may want to jot down the zip code as you may need it later and it will prevent you from having to ask the caller for it again.
I can give you an simple link to a website where you can schedule your Covid-19 vaccination. Are you ready to take down the information?*
- Yes (caller is ready)
- No (Caller is not technologically capable of scheduling)
Agent: Please go to vaccines.gov to schedule your vaccine appointment
To locate a testing site you may visit http://www.211ct.org or I can provide some testing sites to you over the phone.
Have you already been fully vaccinated and are interested in getting a third vaccination or are you calling to schedule your initial vaccination?*

Third Vaccine (Immunocompromised)

Booster (Third Vaccine)

Initial vacination
Which vaccine have you already received?*

Pfizer

Moderna

Johnson & Johnson

Don’t know
At this time, people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for ANY of the Covid – 19 Vaccines ( Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson) if you are 18 years or older and it has been AT LEAST 2 MONTHS after completing your primary vaccine.
At this time, people who received the Pfizer vaccine are eligible for ANY of the Covid – 19 Vaccines ( Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson) if you are 18 years or older and it has been AT LEAST 6 MONTHS after completing your primary vaccine.
• At this time, people who received the Moderna vaccine are eligible for ANY of the Covid – 19 Vaccines ( Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson) if you are 18 years or older and it has been AT LEAST 6 MONTHS after completing your primary vaccine.
It is advised that the third vaccine be the same as the first two. If you do not know the name of your vaccine, you can find out using the State of Connecticut’s vaccine portal: https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Immunizations/CT-WiZ-Request-Immunization-Record or you can call (860) 509-7929. Another option is to contact your primary care physician or facility who administered your primary vaccine. Please give us a call back when you know your initial vaccine to get a listing of vaccine sites in your community.
Have you been informed that you are immunocompromised by a physician or medical group?*

Yes

No
In order to receive the booster vaccine in Connecticut, you do need to be immunocompromised. Please contact your physician or medical group to see if you are eligible.
Unfortunately, the vaccine is in short supply – across the nation and here in Connecticut. And, as a result, the vaccine appointments that we can make available through this telephone line are fully booked at this time.

However, it is important to know that there are other vaccine clinics – at pharmacies, hospitals, and other providers – that we don’t book for through this line that may have appointment availability. I would encourage you to visit www.ct.gov/covidvaccine for information on other potential scheduling options. This link will assist you in finding alternate options in your community, and that may include pharmacies at Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens.

And, if you would like, I can also take down your cell phone number so that we can send you text message alerts when there is new appointment availability.
Can I register you for text message alerts?
Thank you for answering those questions. How can I help you today?*
General Vaccine Questions
VAMS Questions
Vaccine Eligibility Information
Vaccine Card Replacement
Other
What other thing do you need help with?*
For general vaccine questions: Access the following link for the page of vaccine Frequently Asked Questions on the Connecticut state vaccine webpage. Try and answer the caller’s question using the FAQs on the webpage and provide the caller with the ct.gov/covidvaccine website and explain how there is a lot of information on the website, including an FAQ page. https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccinations—FAQs

For VAMS (Vaccine Administration Management System) help: Click on the following link for information about VAMS and tips for individuals who are struggling to use it: https://forms.ctunitedway.org/vams-tips-for-troubleshooting. VAMS is the federal CDC system that many vaccine clinics are using to schedule vaccine appointments. The system is complicated and not easy to use, especially older adults. If the caller just has a question about VAMS, we should try and answer it and provide information and support. However, if VAMS is too complicated for the caller and they haven’t yet booked an appointment, you can offer to give them other ways to make an appointment. If doing that, please change the answer to YES for Question 2 and continue with the form to get information about appointment booking.

For a link to the VAMS enrollment form and other information about the process of using VAMS to schedule an appointment at one of the vaccine clinics using VAMS, go to: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccinations—VAMS-Support

Eligibility: Everyone 5 years of age and older is now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot.

For Vaccine Card Replacement: You will need to contact your physician or medical group that administered your vaccines.

For All Other Questions: Refer caller to the general 211 line (you can offer to transfer as well) and let them know the 211 line is open 24/7. Also, provide the caller with the www.211ct.org website and let them know that information and resources can be found there too.
Here is the voicemail to leave

Hello, this is the Connecticut COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Assist Line returning your phone call. We’re sorry that we missed you. At this time we have a number of vaccine appointments available at several locations. If you are still in need of scheduling an appointment, please visit www.ct.gov/covidvaccine for additional information about scheduling options. You are welcome to try the Vaccine Appointment again in a few days, when additional vaccine appointments may be available. Thank you and have a nice day.
No Live Answer Call Disposition*

Left Message

No Answer
3. Thank you for answering those questions. I would be happy to help you with exploring appointment options. Do you (or the person you are helping make an appointment) currently live or work in the State of Connecticut?*

Live in CT

Don’t live in CT, but work or are attending school in CT

No, do not live in CT or work in CT
Call agents: In order to receive the vaccine in CT, individuals must be currently living in CT or must be working in CT.
In order to receive the vaccine in Connecticut, you do need to be currently living in CT or working in CT in an eligible workforce sector. This information is clearly posted on the ct.gov website at https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccination—Phases

For out-of-state callers, refer them to www.211.org to find the contact information for their state’s 2-1-1 line. They can call that line for information about where they can be vaccinated in their own state.
4a. Are you 18 years of age or older or scheduling this appointment on behalf of someone who is 18 years of age or older?*

Yes

No
4b. Are you 5 to 17 years of age or scheduling this appointment on behalf of someone who is 5 to 17 years of age?*

Yes

No
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Vaccinations are only authorized for those 5 and over at this time, and more research needs to be done to develop a vaccine for younger children, but we are hopeful that there will be an update in the future.
If under the age of 18, will you be accompanied to your appointment by a parent or legal guardian?*

Yes

No
Even though you are eligible to receive the vaccine all facilities require a parent or guardian present for those 15 and under. Some facilities may allow 16 and 17 year olds to submit a form if your parent or legal guardian can not be present.

You will need to contact the health provider to ensure that you fulfill the requirements.
Do you need additional help with transportation to get to a vaccination site?*

Yes

No

Homebound
I can give you a special code that will allow you to get to your appointment or appointments using UBER. Will that work for you?*

Yes

No
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OK, should you change your mind, please give us a call back, or you can book an appointment without transportation.
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I will need your name for the transportation specialist, what is your first name?*
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What is your Last name?*
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What phone number can the transportation specialist call you on?*
Agent: Please click here to go to the transportation request form. You will need to enter the person’s name and phone number. When you are done you can close the tab and continue here.
There is an online Homebound Intake form you can fill out at https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/homebound. If you do not have access to a computer/internet, I can complete the form on your behalf. agent: click on the link to open the form in a new window
There are many other vaccine clinics located throughout the state that each have different ways for eligible individuals to make appointments. Did you have a particular location in mind or should I do a search for the location closest to you?

And do you have access to a smartphone, tablet or computer to make an appointment on the internet? Or should I see if I can find a location that allows for scheduling appointments by phone?

Okay. Let me go to the www.ct.gov/covidvaccine website to do a search for vaccine clinics for you. One moment please.

Call Agent Instructions:

1. Go to www.ct.gov/covidvaccine and enter the caller’s zip code in the box in the top right hand corner of the screen. You will be redirected to the 211 CT website to view search results.
2. Scroll through the list on the left and offer the caller the first few options to see if they are interested in any of them.
3. Once caller expresses interest in one of the locations, click on the blue ‘More Details’ bar to open up the listing and provide the caller with all of the details.
4. If caller cannot use an online system to book an appointment and doesn’t have friends/family to help them, you can click on the orange ‘Filter These Results’ button at the top of the list, select ‘Phone Appointments’ and then select ‘Apply These Filters to Results.’ This will give you a view of the vaccine clinics that offer appointment booking by phone.
5. Once you have found a vaccine clinic that seems like a good option for the caller and provided the caller with the details from the website listing, look BELOW to see if there are any additional SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS to follow for that location.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALL AGENTS FOR CERTAIN VACCINE CLINIC LOCATIONS:
- Yale – Any location where the listing mentions going to https://covidvaccine.ynhh.org/: Provide the caller with the information from the listing on the website and also offer to transfer the caller to Yale’s scheduling line. (If caller agrees to transfer, transfer them to 475-246-9780. The line is available seven days a week from 7am-7pm for transfers from 211 call agents).
- Griffin Hospital: FOR 211 CALL SPECIALISTS ONLY – DO NOT PROVIDE PHONE # TO CALLERS: If caller is from Derby, Seymour, Monroe, Shelton, or Ansonia and WANTS AN APPOINTMENT AT GRIFFIN IN DERBY, CT and has technology limitation, 211 CS can offer to warm transfer the caller to Griffin Hospital for help making an appointment by phone (call agent can warm transfer to 203-533-4670 M-F: 7am–4 pm, Sat/Sun: 7-11am, do not give phone # to caller). Callers who have scheduled 1st dose appointment at Griffin through VAMS, need to also schedule 2nd dose appt through VAMS and not the call center.

United Way Forms

COVID-19 Vaccine Assistance Call Script