Greetings to you as you get settled into the Fall semester, and for many of you, welcome back to campus. After eighteen months of supporting COVID-19 response efforts on campus and in our community, the summer brought a brief lull in MRC deployments and a feeling of hope of things returning to normal. Now, we enter the Fall semester with a sense of uncertainty. Uncertainty regarding booster shot recommendations. Uncertainty about what the fall and winter COVID case rates will look like.
As we look to the next few months, we are certain of two things:
1. Our MRC unit will be called upon to assist in both COVID-19 related deployments, and in efforts related to shortages of health care providers on our campus and in our community.
2. MRC members will continue to volunteer as their busy schedules allow. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
We have several updates to share with you in this newsletter. Please scroll through each update as this newsletter serves as the primary source of the most up-to-date U of MN MRC news.
News
COVID-19 Vaccination Team Update
The COVID-19 Vaccination Team was established in response to vaccination needs on campus and in the broader community. While we do not know for certain when or with what frequency we will be asked to deploy this Fall, it is anticipated that this team may be called on to deploy for the following efforts:
Small campus vaccination clinics for targeted group as the University continues to aim to increase overall vaccination rates
FQHC clinics that request extra support for vaccination events
COVID-19 Booster shot clinics if booster shots are recommended and approved.
MRC Seeks New Vaccinators for COVID-19 Vaccination Team
We are seeking additional vaccinators for our COVID-19 vaccination team. Vaccinators must be currently licensed as a MD, PA, CNP, Pharmacist, RN, LPN, CMA, Dentist, or Veterinarian. Interested and eligible members can visit this webpage to learn how to join the team as a vaccinator.
Federally Qualified Healthcare Deployment Update
From February through July 2021, the MRC supported vaccination clinics at seven Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the metro. A total of 127 MRC members volunteered for over 3,250 hours at the FQHC vaccination clinics. Reflecting on the partnership, one FQHC lead reported "We truly could not have done all that we’ve done without the help of your MRC volunteers. Your MRC teams were eager and ready to step in when we most needed help getting started and as we ramped up our effort to over 300 doses per day – MRC volunteers were here to see us thru the peak."
After a month long pause, we recently received a request from one of the FQHC's to provide Vaccine Injectors for vaccination clinics, and will continue to evaluate requests as they are received.
Other Deployment News
The MRC is also supporting the following deployments:
- MTest COVID-19 Testing - Providing Nasal Swabbers for on campus testing (Must be an RN, PA, CNP, MD, CMA, or EMT). The Nasal Swabber inserts a nasopharyngeal swab into both nostrils to gather a sample.
- Vet Med Student Rabies Vaccination Clinics - October 2021 - Providing Vaccine Injectors (Must be an RN, Pharmacist, PA, CNP, or MD)
The MRC will reach out via email to members that meet the eligibility requirements for these and other future deployments.
Eligible MRC members may go to Shiftboard to sign up for shifts related to these two deployments.
MRC Members Support Vaccine Equity Initiative
MRC members supported a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in August as part of the University's Vaccine Equity Initiative. MRC nurse Anjali Johnson is seen here alongside a Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) nurse waiting for their next client.
Member Spotlight
Brita Larsen
Brita Larsen is an undergraduate student enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts.
"I joined the Medical Reserve Corps after taking an honors seminar called Battling the Bugs, which sparked my interest in all aspects of public health. It seemed like a great opportunity to volunteer in my community with an organization that aligns with my interests of public health and medicine.
I have really appreciated being able to give back to my community, as well as to meet and work alongside the many incredible people who make these events happen."