OAKLAND, Calif. — The more than 21,000 member Facebook group is helping people across Northern Californian’s get access to the coronavirus vaccine and helping prevent spoilage at the same time.
The “Bay area vaccine hunters” is a thousands-strong crowdsourced Facebook group that is pulling information on vaccine clinic, appointments, and doses that might go to waste if they’re not used.
“COVID-19 vaccines are an important & precious resource, and unfortunately, many doses are thrown away every day,” the group moderators write. “In this group, we will collect & share information about places where people of any age can get vaccinated without restrictions and *not* at someone else's expense.”
The group is pulling together those who may not be prioritized to get a vaccine, but hopes to connect distribution sites that have expiring doses to whoever can get to them so they don’t go to waste.
Jessica Moore, 47, of Silicon Valley was able to get vaccinated after her friend in the group learned of an available vaccine.
“Try it now. Go! Like, drop whatever you’re doing and go and I did.”
Now, she and thousands of others are working to help others get vaccinated. She has a number of helpful tips for those seeking a vaccine.
The first helpful step would be to join the “Bay area vaccine hunters” Facebook group, Moore said.
She says to search pharmacy websites around midnight to fill out their screening questionnaires. If there are no appointment times, Moore says not to be discouraged, but to wait. Appointment times often repopulate after midnight. If nothing appears near you, try a search outside of your area. You should set up accounts with pharmacies and counties where you are eligible, she said.
Moore points people to the mobile application Telegram and urges them to follow BayAreaVaccineNotification.
Noam Birnbaum, 46, of Oakland was able to get a vaccine after searching for pharmacies in the region. He was very surprised after learning of a dose that was nearing spoiling in Stockton, so he went. He was so grateful for the appointment he brought the pharmacist flowers.
He suggests that everyone be patient, since it may take some time to find a shot. He has created a spreadsheet of with contact information to pharmacies and with crowdsourced information about waitlists, extra doses, and spoiling doses.
