Facebook Group Helps Thousands Of Marylanders Get Questions Answered About COVID-19 Vaccination Process
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's been called a Godsend and life-changer, but for Technician Elliot Hazzard, he calls the Maryland Vaccine Hunters Facebook Group he started "a centralized resource where people can ask questions and get answers."
Millions of Marylanders are waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine. After partnering with the vaccine hunters "Las Caza Vacunas", a group of eight teachers helping hundreds of seniors get vaccinated, they've gotten shots to hundreds more.
Hazzard, whose a GIS Technician and Maryland Native, said he still can't believe it.
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"I thought it would be popular, but I did not think it would explode quite like this," Hazzard said.
Two weeks and 9,000 members later, spreadsheets by volunteer Shel Carr helps with tips and tricks for each website, pharmacies with online scheduling, and best time and day to check for appointments.
Volunteers across the state waking up early, refreshing websites, sometimes for hours, then private messaging the ones in the group asking for help.
Betsy Craig is a Maryland native struggling with numerous health problems.
"I literally have doctors who told me if I got COVID, it would kill me," she said.
The group helped Craig and her husband get the vaccine. She paid it forward.
"To me, gratitude's an action word. It's a verb. I've helped over 30 people now just in a week," Craig said.
Librarian Alexis Gerard, of Germantown, has helped 40 people.
"The one I had reserved for today, we have to a 97-year-old grandparent of one of the staff members here who was desperate and couldn't find anything," Gerard said.
"It's just nice to help," Hazzard said.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
