COLUMBUS, Ohio — As more people become eligible for the COVID vaccine, more and more Ohioans are becoming frustrated.
In the past several weeks, emails have flooded our 10TV inbox. Wayne, 59, says he has tried and tried to schedule a vaccine with no luck. He wants to know how can Gov. Mike DeWine keep expanding eligibility when the age groups already eligible cannot get a shot.
“It’s been overwhelmingly successful,” Nick Waterhouse said.
The answer might be crowdsourced information.
“The more shots in arms, the better at this point,” Waterhouse said.
Waterhouse started the Facebook group Ohio Vaccine Hunters. In six weeks, the group has 8,000 members. It’s helped thousands of people with getting information and getting questions answered.
Thanks to people posting where vaccines are available around them, the page has helped more than 600 people get appointments, whether or not their age group has been eligible, due to health providers not wanting to waste any vaccines.
“It’s impactful and it’s important and being able to see the community step up like this, it’s definitely touched my heart in a lot of ways,” Waterhouse said.
As the vaccine is now available to those 16 years old and up, the state still has a hurdle to overcome: demand vs. supply.
With an opening date for mass vaccination clinics yet to be announced, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff with the Ohio Department of Health, says the goal is to keep getting Ohioans vaccinated.
“Many providers offer evening and weekend appointments, and mass vaccination clinics opening in the coming weeks will greater expand appointment availability to Ohioans across the state,” Dr. Vanderhoff said. “We do not know when vaccine supply will exceed demand and remain hopeful that more and more Ohioans will choose to be vaccinated.”
“We need to get creative,” Dr. Joseph Gastaldo said. “How do we get people who don’t have a cell phone? People who can’t drive?”
Dr. Gastaldo is with OhioHealth and says the state needs to take advantage of the urgency being seen right now to be vaccinated and make it easier for people who work 9-5 jobs or for those who work weekends to get scheduled.
To find vaccination locations with OhioHealth, click here.
To find vaccination clinics in Ohio, click here.