Covid 19 coronavirus: 250 applications flood in for vaccine roll-out, call goes out to retired professionals

There has been a strong response to vacancies to help out with the vaccine roll out in the northern region, but more vaccinators will be needed in the months ahead. Photo / Supplied

The call has gone out to retired health professionals to help in the northern region's roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Thousands of vaccinators and support staff will eventually be needed by July, but the vacancies were happening in stages.

A spokesperson said there were currently 250 vaccinator roles available at the moment. They had received 250 applications so far, for both vaccinator and support roles, but were keen for more people to apply.

"We have had 250 applications so far and a reasonable split across all areas, but a large number of applications from West Auckland. We are extending the date, as we want to make sure we have as many people as possible apply.

"As part of this round of recruitment to support our community vaccinations sites we are looking for around 250 vaccinators, plus a number of support roles.

"We'd encourage everyone in the community who wants to play a key role in the fight to protect against Covid-19 to take a look at the roles we have available, both clinical and non clinical and put their hand up to help out."

In their bid to fill the vacancies they hoped professionals who had recently retired could rejoin the fray.

"We have put a call out to retired professionals.

"We have also put a role in place to support these people to complete the vaccination training and regain their practicing certificates.

"Many of the health professions boards have opened limited scope practicing certificates to enable these people to join this workforce."

However, Counties Manukau DHB chief executive Margie Apa told RNZ yesterday it currently had about 1200 vaccinators trained in the northern region "but we could easily do with twice that number of vaccinators".

"That would be a big game changer for us."

Their target was to see 25,000 to 30,000 people vaccinated a day, Apa told RNZ, but there were currently two issues that needed sorting.

One was getting the right number of nurses and vaccinators through the Pfizer vaccine training module run by the National Immunisation Advisory Centre.

They had also been waiting for the Ministry of Health to change regulations to allow those without vaccination experience to be trained.

RNZ reported the ministry announced last week that exemption had been approved.