Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Metro Creative Connection
Metro Creative Connection

Vaccinate Western New York regional hub issues a call for volunteers

Submitted

Mon, Apr 12th 2021 02:10 pm

Volunteers needed across all five counties in medical and non-medical roles

As more COVID-19 vaccine is beginning to arrive in WNY, volunteers are needed to assist with distribution efforts throughout the region. Vaccinate Western New York (VAXWNY), the local hub responsible to for ensuring the safe, efficient and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, is issuing a call for volunteers across all five WNY counties (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara) to help in this historic effort.

“It takes many people to run a vaccine effort. It’s important that we have a large pool of qualified individuals in all five regions who can help ensure the time-sensitive task of administering the vaccine as well as being able to fill critical non-medical roles as well,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and chair of the region 10 vaccination hub planning group.

The New York State Department of Health has issued guidance on who is eligible to become a vaccinator, and the list includes many professions within the health care industry.

Anyone who is certified to administer intramuscular injections can sign up to become a vaccinator. In addition to vaccinators, there is a priority need for volunteers who can help in nonmedical roles, including registering vaccine participants, observing participants for the required time after they receive their vaccination, and other clerical functions. Volunteers with a background in security are also needed to manage the flow of participants inside and outside the vaccine PODs.

Visit www.VaxWNY.org/volunteer for eligibility information or to register to assist with volunteer efforts.

The VAXWNY hub is led by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul working in partnership with Catholic Health, the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Erie County Medical Center (ECMC). VAXWNY follows the New York state COVID-19 vaccination plan that is overseen by Vaccine Central Command Center (VC3). For the purposes of vaccine rollout, the New York State Department of Health created 10 vaccination hubs across the state. The mission of Vaccinate Western New York (VAXWNY) is to safely, efficiently and equitably vaccinate the community against the COVID-19 virus and help end the public health crisis.

Hometown News

View All News