16 October 2020
The Government of Jersey is asking healthcare workers to act as volunteer vaccinators for their colleagues, when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.
This ‘peer-to-peer vaccination’ scheme forms part of the Government’s strategy for the prompt delivery of vaccines to the key healthcare staff, whose roles put them at a high risk of catching and spreading the virus.
Healthcare organisations are being contacted to ask their staff to help with the effective and efficient delivery of the vaccine by preparing to vaccinate their colleagues.
The registered healthcare workers who are being asked to take part in the peer-to-peer scheme include:
- doctors
- registered paramedics
- nurses
- midwives
- pharmacists
- physios
- radiographers
- opticians
- orthoptists
- chiropodists
COVID vaccine project lead, Rebecca Sherrington said: “We find ourselves in a unique situation, and everyone has a vital role to play in the Island’s fight against COVID-19. While we still don’t know when a vaccine will be available, we have been advised to have our delivery strategy ready by the end of this year.
“So we have spoken to health and social care agencies, and other organisations, to explain how the Government plans to protect staff and patients who are at higher risk from COVID.
“The vaccine will not be compulsory, but if we can get high uptake rates among healthcare workers we will be better prepared to care for patients across both Health and Community Services and external health and social care providers.”
Health care staff across the Island will be offered tailored training and be given updates on the planned arrival and delivery of the COVID vaccine.
The project delivery team are also planning the Island-wide deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine. When it is available, the vaccine will be rolled out in phases to specific groups of people, starting with those most at risk from the virus.
gov.je