The possibility of getting a COVID-19 vaccine in California is about to expand, but the option of getting an injection is still painfully slow and difficult.
Here are some specific tips that can help you book an appointment faster.
Go online first, but not just to the provincial websites. Visit websites such as vaccinehunter.org and Dr. B. Think of both as modern matchmakers.
Known as a ‘vaccine whisperer’, Janet Pitcher has already helped 30 people find appointments.
What is her secret? Pharmacies like Rite Aid and CVS open new appointments on their websites at 12:01 AM every day.
“Honestly, my biggest source of appointments is through the actual pharmacies,” said Pitcher. “They tend to load their appointments after midnight.”
You can also find appointments on sites such as Dr. B, where people looking for appointments are matched with doses.
“It literally takes 90 seconds,” said Dr. B founder Cyrus Massoumi.
You simply enter your data on a computer or mobile phone. They match you for free, and they don’t stop.
“It does this until every single dose is talked about,” said Massoumi.
You’ll want to bookmark the websites as appointments will soon be even harder to find in April when eligibility is expanded in California.
“When Newsom government says things like, ‘We’re going to open up to the whole world,’ the problem is, just as you describe, vaccination arrangements are so sparse,” said Massoumi.
If you’re frustrated that your category has already come up and you haven’t gotten a chance to shoot, Dr. B Prioritize to ensure that older communities and frontline workers have their chance.