Vaccine volunteers create new website to streamline appointment process
A local group is trying to make the stressful process of getting a vaccine appointment a little easier.
Rhea Hoffman is calling it her new full-time job. She's one of the Coachella Valley volunteers behind the latest community-based vaccination resource: www.vaxie.info.
"People come in frustrated; they've looked for weeks; they've spent hours," Hoffman said. "We post when we find something to say, 'Go right now; here's the link. They have appointments.'"
Trying to simplify a harrowing process, Hoffman and a partner are posting alerts to a Facebook page about new vaccination appointments being made available at pharmacies, health clinics, urgent care centers and more. "We do get appointments quickly," she said.
Maria Wren, like so many others, grew frustrated with the county website going down. "The system had crashed," she said of her own appointment-making experience. After several attempts, the slots had filled up before she had a chance to fill out her information.
Wren found Vaxie, and secured an appointment for her first shot.
"I went on and saw what that was all about, and I thought, 'Well, this is great," she said. "It's so helpful to have the pooled resources of Facebook to get information real time."
It's neighbors helping neighbors, and it's taking on a life of its won.
"Having the additional Facebook platform to interact with people – for a lot of people its a lot easier," Wren said.
"We all want this pandemic to end and whatever each of us can do to end it, we're willing to do it," Hoffman said. "This is a way that I can say, 'Let's all pitch in and get this taken care of."
