Healthcare workers to be asked to vaccinate each other

Monday 19 October 2020

If you’re a healthcare worker, you could soon be administering the covid vaccine to your co-workers as part of plans to distribute it to those at risk as quickly as possible.

The scheme is to be put in place when the covid vaccine becomes available.

To ensure delivery of the vaccine to key healthcare staff, they will begin to be offered training, and be given updates on the arrival of the covid vaccine. 

The staff included in this are:  

• doctors;
• registered paramedics;
• nurses;
• midwives; 
• pharmacists;
• physios;
• radiographers;
• opticians; 
• orthoptists;
• chiropodists.

It comes as part of a plan for Island-wide deployment of the vaccine, given out in phases to specific groups and beginning with those most at risk. 

Pictured: The vaccine will not be compulsory, though the project lead has said the more healthcare workers that take part, the better prepared they will be.

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.”