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From booking appointments to providing shots: Vaccine hunters start pop-up clinic

The "Vaccine Hunters" group has gained notoriety for finding vaccine appointments, but volunteers are now finding people needing a dose.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — They're the ones who scoured websites to help find COVID-19 vaccine appointments for many of the DMV's most vulnerable people. As reserving a spot gets easier thanks to more supply, so-called vaccine hunters are slightly changing their approach, but not their impact. 

Long gone are the days Maria Peterson of the Maryland "Vaccine Hunters" group would have to wake up in the middle of the night to help book an appointment for complete strangers. Her group of Montgomery County teachers saw the need in late January to help guide senior citizens through the complicated process. Since then, Peterson said the group has found approximately 9,000 appointments. 

Montgomery County officials even issued a proclamation for their good work. 

"Seeing so many appointments is awesome and amazing and even surreal to see," Peterson said. "But we still need to find those people that still need to be vaccinated."

While they're still securing appointments, the group has gone from "hunters" to providers. By working with Holy Cross Health, the "Vaccine Hunters" were able to hold their first vaccine pop-up clinic two weeks ago at Washington Spanish Bilingual SDA Church in Silver Spring. All150 doses of Moderna provided by the hospital were administered. 

"We see the need, we know the zip code areas, we have been hands on from the beginning," Peterson said. "We have been at the clinics and we have talked to people."

The focus has been on the Hispanic community, the population in Montgomery County with the most cases of COVID-19 and the second highest deaths, according to county COVID-19 data.

The group not only connected with church members, but also called workers in predominantly Hispanic-dominated industries. Peterson said there was a lot of hesitancy in the beginning that prevented members of the Hispanic community from getting the vaccine. Additionally, language barriers, lack of transportation and busy schedules became barriers. 

"They feel more comfortable at a place that they can relate and connect to," Peterson added. "They just need guidance, somebody to talk to them and help them make the appointment."

People would have to return to the church for their second dose on May 19. 

Any business owners who need helping getting employees vaccinated, whether it's because there's a lack of language skills or feel intimidated, can get help by emailing vaccinehunters@gmail.com.

RELATED: Vaccine seekers express frustrations as eligibility expands in Maryland

RELATED: 'Maryland Vaccine Hunters' | Facebook group gains momentum helping seniors find appointments

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