CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Well being skilled college students from schools and universities throughout West Virginia are signing as much as assist with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
A brand new initiative – the West Virginia Vaccine Administration, Collaboration, and Help (WV VACS) Workforce – and a partnership among the many Nationwide Guard, Division of Well being and Human Sources, and Larger Schooling Coverage Fee has resulted in additional than 1,000 well being skilled college students set to assist in the efforts.
Lisa Costello, Assistant Professor Pediatrics at WVU and Co-Director of WV VACS instructed MetroNews that college students have had coaching in administering vaccines and different health-related gadgets that may profit neighborhood clinics.
“We had been the place we might present extra help, our well being skilled college students, a lot of them are educated and so they do vaccines as a part of that coaching. This was one other group of people whose ability set could possibly be used as a part of this bigger effort to offer help,” Costello mentioned.
At the moment, simply over 1,000 college students from 32 well being sciences packages throughout West Virginia have opted in to assist with vaccination clinics all through the spring, summer season, and fall. Since March 17, the VACS Workforce has already deployed 112 college students to help with clinics in line with Costello.
The remaining college students are within the coaching course of and shall be deployed to communities all through the state within the coming weeks, a release said.
Thanks to @marshallu nursing scholar Claire Miller and all these serving to to get our communities vaccinated. “Greater than 1,000 well being skilled college students from schools and universities throughout West Virginia on observe to assist with vaccine rollout” https://t.co/whazdsLLLE pic.twitter.com/YbaBnTNIwF
— President Gilbert (@MarshalluPres) April 2, 2021
Costello mentioned college students serving to within the ‘herculean effort’ are in roles reminiscent of helping with the mobility of individuals getting right into a clinic, registration, administering the vaccine, and submit monitoring interval after vaccination.
WV VACS launch mentioned previous to working in communities, college students full an internet curriculum that’s designed to boost their information about COVID-19 vaccines and their administration. As soon as totally educated, teams of scholars work beneath supervision with native well being suppliers to offer vaccines and help knowledge entry. Larger training establishments decide whether or not college students take part on this voluntary program for both course credit score or neighborhood service.
“It’s an all-hands-on-deck state of affairs and our skilled college students are answering the decision to assist the communities who’re doing superb work. We simply want extra people to assist in these efforts,” Costello mentioned.
West Virginia hit a milestone on Friday with vaccinations, as over 500,000 residents have acquired a minimum of the primary dose of a vaccine.
Gov. Jim Justice was thrilled with the hassle of this program, mentioning it throughout his Friday COVID-19 briefing.
“Our greater ed of us are stepping up, our college students are stepping up. They’re getting on the job coaching. It’s actually good for all and we thank them in each means,” Justice mentioned.
