---
title: Pivoting to a New Pandemic Pain Point
date: 2022-01-18T16:54:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/pivoting-to-a-new-pandemic-pain-point"
section: Articles
---
# Pivoting to a New Pandemic Pain Point

*January 18, 2022* — by [Liam Farrell](/author/liam-farrell)


> Alum’s Vaccine Hunter Group Now Finds COVID-19 Tests

*I Stock 1317824874 1920x1080 — Elliot Hazzard ’17 founded the Facebook group Maryland Vaccine Hunters, which has evolved into a hub for followers across the state to share information on where to find COVID-19 test kits and appointments.*

First came the unwelcome holiday gift of the Omicron coronavirus variant. It blew up long-awaited gatherings of families and friends and sent many people into quarantine, their beds or, in some cases, the hospital.

But then another panic followed, as all varieties of COVID-19 tests became rarer than a new PlayStation 5. Anyone needing one had to brace for hours-long lines, fruitless searches for appointments or boxes of rapid tests online, and empty shelves at store after store.


*Elliot Hazzard headshot*




**Topics:** [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni), [Geographical Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/geographical-sciences), [Social Media](https://today.umd.edu/topic/social-media)


**Units:** [College of Behavioral and Social Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-behavioral-and-social-sciences)