The state of California launched a new program on Friday that gives residents the opportunity to be vaccinated through volunteer work to help vaccinate others in locations across the state.
MyTurnVolunteer is an online tool that allows you to search for clinics and mass vaccination sites in search of help based on your zip code.
“If you sign up for the tool, you can sign up for general support or medical positions, depending on your background,” said Cristina Valdivia Aguilar, a spokeswoman for California Volunteers. “You can find a location near your home.”
Medical volunteers – including nurses, doctors, pharmacists and dentists – can help with vaccination efforts, whether preparing vaccines or injecting and observing patients. Non-medical volunteers can help with tasks such as providing language support, greeting vaccine recipients, cleaning surfaces, directing traffic and registering.
Although some locations request eight-hour shifts, Aguilar said that if you work four hours or more, you can receive a vaccine with the approval of the clinic administrator, even if you are not eligible within the state structure that prioritizes health professionals, the elderly and some essential workers, like teachers.
“If you volunteer for four hours or more, you fall into one of the categories,” she said. “You are classified as a community health worker on California’s essential workforce list.”
Many sites are asking for volunteers to be 18 or older, but that depends on the site, she said.
The program is new and on Monday morning the opportunities remain limited, but Aguilar said that volunteers will be able to find locations close to them as more opportunities become available.
“We were at a location in Los Angeles on Friday and they need 200 volunteers a day,” she said. “It’s a really great website … the Kedren Community Health Center in southern Los Angeles. It’s a great way to feel part of the solution and as if you are helping out in a pandemic.”
The state-sponsored volunteer campaign also asks residents to help educate family and friends in their communities about the vaccine, by downloading and sharing materials and offering to schedule a vaccination appointment for a neighbor or offer a ride.