Peoria Standard

The Peoria City County Health Department is seeking volunteers to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available, according to Week News.

The health department is seeking help from licensed practical nurses, registered nurses or anyone with the ability to give an IM injection. It is also seeking volunteers to help with some clerical work, set-up, data entry and other assistance as well.

Director of Emergency Management and Preparedness, Jason Marks, says that the department has a Medical Reserve Corps ready to administer vaccines to the public, but they need help from volunteers to help with the initial push of the vaccine.

Distribution of COVID 19 vaccination will done by local County Health Departments | File Photo

"As a health department we've been planning and preparing for a public health emergency of this kind for some time now," Marks told Week News.

According to Marks, protocol will require that healthcare workers, first responders and assisted living facilities receive the vaccine first. Vaccinations will not be administered at the health department, health department workers and volunteers will need to travel to outside facilities to administer them.

"We're going to work with critical populations initially, go to them so we have those individuals there and then we can control, we can utilize those additional public health measures to ensure a safe environment for the vaccination process," Marks told Week News.

These volunteer positions will not receive compensation.

Visitors can find the volunteer application here.