WHAT IS A VACCINE POD?
A Vaccine POD (Point of Dispensing) is designed to dispense vaccines to the public as quickly as possible during or after an emergency. Both medical and non-medical workers will be present at the POD to address the public, and provide a seamless vaccination operation.
Location and Operating
Hours: Our current vaccination POD is located in Brentwood at the Grant Campus of Suffolk County Community College inside the Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena. POD operating hours will be from 8AM to 8PM when operating as designed. Of course, those hours may change from time to time based on the availability of the vaccine. We do anticipate more vaccine POD's to open elsewhere in the county in the near future as we continue to take delivery of vaccine. Assistance will be needed at those locations as well.
Volunteer hours: We do not expect volunteers to work a 12 our shift but will accommodate that if anyone is willing. We have been running volunteers in three shifts: 8A-12P, 12P-4P and 4P-8P. All shifts will require volunteers to arrive 30 minutes prior to their designated start time to ensure proper training can be accommodated.
Help Vaccinate
Positions:
The non-medical positions we are looking to fill are:
Flow Control: Individuals in this role will guide the public from one station to the next inside the vaccination POD.
Registrar: Individuals in this role will ensure that people are properly registered before moving into the medical area. These individuals will be trained to utilize the NYS’s CDMS registration and intake system.
Check-out: Individuals in this role will ensure that all paperwork and patient contact information is in order before people leave.
If medical staff with a current medical license would like to assist in the vaccination POD, we also have positions available for them. Those positions are:
Vaccinator: (physician, physician assistant, RN, LPN, pharmacist, midwife, dentist, dental hygienist, podiatrist, emergency medical technician or paramedic or individual students enrolled in educational programs for any of the above-referenced practices) this will be the person who administers the vaccine and reviews medical history with each patient. Detailed training will take place prior to a medical professional being able to fill that role.
Medical Consult: (MD, NP, RN) in this role, medical consults will answer any questions or concerns a person may have prior to receiving the vaccine including any medical history, allergies or potential vaccine reactions.
Those are a few of the positions where we have a need. Volunteers will receive just-in-time (JIT) training at the POD before being assigned to their position.
Volunteer Information: We would need the following information from people willing to volunteer emailed to mrc@suffolkcountyny.gov.
- Name
- Profession/Student
- Shift(s) they would like to work
- Would they be willing to work other vaccination sites in the future?
- Are they willing to receive the vaccine?
- Have you received the vaccine?