RICHMOND - Governor Ralph Northam announced a new initiative to recruit volunteers to administer COVID-19 vaccines in the Commonwealth as part of the state's effort to increase the state's vaccinator workforce.
Governor Northam recently signed legislationthat expands the pool of health care providers eligible to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier this week the governor announced that all Virginians age 16 and older will be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine, starting April 18.
“Last year, we issued a call for 30,000 medical and non-medical volunteers to join our fight against COVID-19, and I am proud that over 35,000 Virginians have since stepped forward to assist through the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps,” said Governor Northam.
According to Northam, Virginia is administering an average of nearly 67,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine each day and has given over 3.8 million shots to date.
Dentists, dental hygienists, veterinarians, optometrists, and health professions students enrolled in an accredited Virginia program are now a part of the pool of eligible people able to administer vaccines. Eligible providers can serve as vaccinators if they have the appropriate training and meet the supervision requirements.
Eligible health care providers can now register to volunteer as a COVID-19 vaccinator through either the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) or the newly-established Virginia Volunteer Vaccinator Registry (VVVR).
MRC volunteer vaccinators are required to complete a background investigation, volunteer orientation, vaccination-specific training as outlined by the VDH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and a skills assessment to demonstrate competency in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
The VVVR is a new temporary COVID-19 emergency program administered by VDH and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for eligible providers who only wish to serve as vaccinators. Volunteers are required to complete vaccination-specific training and demonstrate competency in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
A list of credentialed volunteers will be made available to hospitals, non-profit agencies, and local health departments operating community vaccination clinics upon request.
Registering through either pathway is not a guarantee that one will be enlisted to vaccinate, and volunteers may not serve immediately.
For more information or to sign up as an MRC or VVVR volunteer, click here.
