Local

Facebook group working to connect seniors with COVID-19 vaccine appointments

ATLANTA — Securing an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine is almost like winning the lottery.

Channel 2 Anchor Wendy Corona learned about a new Facebook group that can help.

The hunt for a shot can be challenging and filled with frustration for seniors and their families, but now, strangers are helping one another find success in scheduling those appointments.

Noel Schenck will tell you she is competitive, especially when it comes to getting seniors COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

[SPECIAL SECTION: COVID-19 Vaccine in Georgia]

Schenck said she started the Facebook group, Georgia COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Info, to share best practices and where people could find a time slot to get the shot.

“Through that process of trying to get those appointments for our loved ones, and my friends’ loved ones, I learned how difficult it is,” Schenck said. “When I get an appointment, it’s like, ‘Yes!’”

Schenck said that for some seniors, she realized it’s impossible for them to do it on their own.

[LINK: Where to find the COVID-19 vaccine in Georgia]

Lynley Teras helped her own parents book their appointments and has successfully navigated sites to get appointments for about a dozen others. Schenck and Teras believe that without patience, lightning-fast typing and multiple devices constantly refreshing, the odds are against you.

“A lot of people are fortunate to have family members, but not everybody does have somebody looking out for them,” Schenck said.

Their squad of volunteers are on it, covering every opportunity to help someone connect, especially after seeing so many posts from people desperate for help.

“The goal is shots in arms, so as many people as we can get appointments, the better,” Teras said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]