Published: October 14, 2009 08:48 pm      

Health department seeks help

DANVILLE — The Vermilion County Health Department is looking for help from local health professionals and residents as it prepares for as many as three dozen H1N1 clinics in the coming months.

Officials plan to announce the dates and times for the clinics in Danville, Georgetown and Hoopeston later this month. One or two clinics are planned for during the week as well as on some Saturdays.

Administrator Steve Laker said some nurses have already stepped forward to offer assistance in giving the vaccinations, but the department will need more. As incentive, Laker indicated the health department is committing some federal grant dollars to offer minimal pay to the nurses to volunteer to act as vaccinators.

Personnel needs are an issue elsewhere as well. Laker indicated the health department is looking for local residents willing to volunteer for any number of roles ranging from re-stocking supplies at the clinic sites and general clinic duties to Spanish trans-lators.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the health department’s Emergency Response and Planning Coordinator Melissa Rome at 431-2662. Additional information will be posted on the health department’s Web site — http://www.vchd.org — as it becomes available.