Volunteers sought for statewide COVID-19 vaccination effort

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 20, 2021) – The Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) is seeking medical and non-medical volunteers to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts at more than 50 points of vaccine dispensing (PODs) locations statewide.

“This is a huge, unprecedented effort to vaccinate the majority of our population of nearly 4 million Oklahomans. We need as much help as we can get from our community to make it possible,” said Lezlie Carter, state coordinator for the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps. “When you become a volunteer with the OKMRC, you join hundreds of other citizens involved in the safety, security, health, and well-being in their communities who are ready to make a difference when help is needed most.”

Major emergencies and disasters involving injury or disease to large numbers of people can overwhelm full-time emergency response personnel. Volunteers can provide an important “surge” capacity and supplement medical and health personnel shortages. The OKMRC helps fill these gaps with volunteers who’ve been organized, trained, and assigned to assist where their expertise is best applied.

Any Oklahoma resident or individual employed in Oklahoma can apply to be part of the OKMRC. Many members have medical training, but others have no special training prior to joining.

Possible roles for volunteers include: Vaccinator, Form Review, Registration, Traffic Control, Runners, assisting the elderly, sanitizing, and other duties as needed. Background

checks are conducted on all volunteer applications.

Last week, OKMRC volunteers were requested to support vaccination efforts in 52 Oklahoma counties.

For additional information, or to apply, please visit OKMRC. org.

For more information about COVID-19 and vaccination efforts in Oklahoma, visit Oklahoma.gov/COVID19.