Vermont Health Department gets critical help at vaccine clinics from nontraditional staff
State workers from a variety of departments have been helping staff the vaccination sites
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Updated: 9:38 AM EDT Apr 6, 2021
State workers from a variety of departments have been helping staff the vaccination sites
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Updated: 9:38 AM EDT Apr 6, 2021
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HE'LL BE CONSIDERED ááFULLY VACCINATED. THE STATE SAYS THE SMOOTH OPERATIONS OF CLINICS LIKE THAT ONE... ARE LARGELY THANKS TO PEOPLE FROM A WIDE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS WHO STEPPED UP TO SERVE. OUR JACK THURSTON HAS THAT STORY. As Jay Furr got his COVID-19 vaccine Monday, his eyes were fixed on the end of that pandemic tunnel. ((JAY FURR / Vaccine Recipient: 1:47:33 it's still really nice to know that at some point we'll be able to go to live theater and eat in restaurants and all this - it's exciting!)) And helping him - and all of us - get there? A long list of folks staffing the clinics - usually without any fanfare. ((BRIDGET PHILLIPS / DEC Employee: 1:42:52: it's just been a joy to be a part of.)) Bridget Phillips works on clean drinking water initiatives - but Vermont's allowing many of its state workers to spend their scheduled hours instead at the vaccine sites doing intake, traffic control, or other non- medical duties. ((BRIDGET PHILLIPS / DEC Employee: 1:42:34: it's been a very rewarding opportunity.)) Todd Mackay's with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. His employer's also supporting him helping at the clinic, where a bonus is interacting with people in-person again after working his regular job remotely for so long. ((TODD MACKAY - Blue Cross & Blue Shield enrollment services: 1:49:15: it's a bit of a Groundhog Day at home - seeing the same thing, just me and the dog every day. It was certainly an excuse to get out of the house as well, but it definitely feels good to be a part of the effort.)) We also spotted Vermont's lieutenant governor, her chief of staff, and Barre city firefighter / EMTs at this location Monday. ((JOAN MARIE MISEK / VT Health Department: 1:53:11: we couldn't do these clinics without the full staff.)) She's with the Vermont Health Department and calls it inspiring to see the enthusiasm the nontraditional clinic personnel have - not to mention elsewhere the National Guard, pharmacy employees, hospital staff and more: all rowing in the same direction to protect people. ((JOAN MARIE MISEK / VT Health Department: 1:52:02: not everyone can be a doctor or a nurse or a public health official, but I think people want to do their part.)) ((DR. GERRY DAVIS / Retired Physician: 1:58:30: I felt I wanted to do what little I could to help with this pandemic.)) Gerry Davis is a retired physician volunteering two days a week at the clinics through the Vermont Medical Reserve Corps. He says it's payment enough to see the joy on vaccine recipients' faces and hear their stories about being excited to hug loved ones again. ((DR. GERRY DAVIS / Retired Physician: 1:58:50: short of obstetrics and the delivery room, this is the happiest medical event you're going to find.)) ((JACK THURSTON: Now, Vermonters 40 and up can register for their shots. Next week it's 30+, and th