Local Heroes
Local Mom Helps Hundreds— and Counting, Schedule Covid Vaccines
By Jackie Schatell
W
hile Covid vaccines are now available for older adults and immunocompromised individuals, it is often difficult for them to garner appointments. Noting this, as of mid March, Lindsay Feeley, of Summit, a mom of two children under 3, who works full time as an event planner, has already made over 350 appointments for people, and counting. Lindsay says she started making appointments for people after she was able to schedule her own appointment at 4am. She told a friend, who asked for her help, and later mentioned she had other family members having difficulty making their appointments. Lindsay volunteered to help, and says it began spiralling from there. Soon, Lindsay was helping friends, and friends of friends, get appointments, daily, in many states, not just in NJ.
Below, Lindsay shares a few tips: 1. Type fast. 2. Look on sites at odd hours like 4am. 3. Find a buddy who is also looking, so “you can text each other when you see open spots.” 4. Join the Facebook group @ NewJerseyCovidVaccineInfo. 5. Sign up at Wgirls.org, where a volunteer will be assigned to help. 6. Sign up at hidrb.com to be notified of extra doses.
She does it all for free, and when people ask for her address to send her something in gratitude, she says, “If you want to do something for me—just wear a mask.” Lindsay says she loves being able to help others, and says, after being cooped up at home for so long, if “I can help others in this way, I am all for it.”
7. Follow Twitter bot @C19VaxxUpdates.
While many people she helps call her an “angel,” Lindsay says she just enjoys helping others, especially those who have trouble maneuvering on a computer.
10. Create a Walgreens account, so you’re ready to book when new appointments are added.
Lindsay Feeley
8. Look on Vaxxmaxx.com. 9. Check out Findashot.org.
11. Use auto-fill so as to be ready as soon as appointments are listed. 12. Check out grocery store sites. 13. For those over 75, which may expand to age 65 soon, call Walmart, and ask for a pharmacist, who will make an appointment over the phone. 14. Call the NJ COVID senior help hotline, 856-249-7007 for booking assistance.
In addition, Lindsay says, “If someone is helping you get an appointment, do not shy away from telling them your true availability, as this helps prevent the volunteer from having to call later and cancel, and have to start all over again.” She also says, “Don’t have more than one person looking, as this causes confusion, wastes volunteers’ time, prevents others from getting theirs, and also causes those helping to have to later call and cancel, if the person is double booked. Lindsay plans to keep helping people get appointments, until possibly May, when more eligibility categories are opened up, and everyone can start looking. Then, she plans to sleep.
