VOLUNTEERS WILL BE CALLING RESIDENTS TO SCHEDULE VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS

In an e ort to accomplish the daunting task of responding to thousands of older adults who have pre-registered for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District has partnered with Aging Together, the PATH Volunteer Hub, and Novant UVA Culpeper Medical Center to schedule vaccination appointments for residents. With support from Culpeper Wellness Foundation, Aging Together was able to recruit and coordinate a corps of volunteers to call and make appointments for those already on the Health District’s survey list. Specifically, they are calling those age 65 and older who filled out the regional health department’s online “survey” prior to Feb. 16.

is e ort speeds up response to the high volume and is part of a mobilization partnership with Novant UVA Culpeper Medical Center who will be dispersing the vaccines at Germanna Community College.

“And we especially understand the concern about scammers who target older adults by phone to fraudulently acquire personal information,” says Ellen Phipps, executive director at Aging Together who notes that volunteers and the health department will be using cell phones and private phone numbers.

e volunteer call team has been trained with a script to identify themselves properly and all volunteers are required to sign a confidentiality statement. ey will NOT be asking for any credit card, bank or other payment information, nor will they ask for social security numbers. But they will be asking some screening questions that are fairly simple or that relate to direct information, like street addresses.

If there is any trepidation or to ask questions, people may contact the health district at 540-308-6072 to verify. And Phipps reminds everyone, “ere is NO COST to receive the COVID-19 vaccine!”