THE Nationwide Building Society and phone giant Vodafone have become two of the latest businesses to urge workers to join The Sun’s Jabs Army — which now has 37,000 recruits.
Bosses at the building society said its 18,000 staff could take paid volunteering days to sign up as stewards and help ensure the safe and smooth operation of NHS vaccination centres.
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Boss Joe Garner said: “I am delighted Nationwide is supporting the Jabs Army campaign.
“As part of our efforts to help the nation rebuild through Covid, we are offering our 18,000 colleagues the opportunity to use their five paid volunteering days to support good causes up and down the UK.
“This is a great initiative and we hope as many people as possible get behind it.”
Vodafone, with 9,500 workers in the UK, is also offering paid leave to join the drive.
Nick Jeffery, boss of Vodafone UK, said: “We’re delighted to support The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign.
“We offer our employees three days of volunteering leave a year and what better way to use this than to get behind the vaccination programme.”
They were joined yesterday by RSA, the insurer formerly known as Royal & Sun Alliance.
Its spokesman, Alexander Jones, said: “The roll-out of the vaccine gives a huge boost to our collective hope, motivation and well-being, and I have no doubt many of our brilliant people at RSA will be signing up to volunteer.”
Dozens of companies have now signed up to help with Jabs Army.
VOLUNTEERS for the Jabs Army are being asked to first register online at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
You will then receive an email with log-in details to sign up online.
Finally, you will be asked to download the GoodSAM app on a smartphone which will match you to a role in your area.
Services will be opening in the coming days and weeks, with different areas up and running at different times, so you might not be required on site for some weeks. Not everyone who signs up will need to be called upon.
You need to commit to only two six-hour shifts a month at a vaccination service, and no prior experience or qualifications are required.
You will work as part of a team that will include NHS staff and volunteers. The Royal Voluntary Service will conduct appropriate background checks.
They include BT, Sky, Amazon, John Lewis and New Look, as well as airlines including EasyJet.
Yesterday, the Luton-based airline announced that its cabin crew would also train as vaccinators.
Many of EasyJet’s 3,000 cabin crew are on furlough but are first aid trained and security-cleared, making them ideal candidates to help.
SAFETY for our Jab Army volunteers is paramount.
Here we answer your questions about how you will be protected while working as a Steward Volunteer in a vaccine centre:
When I do my voluntary duty will I be safe from catching Covid?
Volunteer and patient safety is the NHS and Royal Voluntary Services’ top priority.
While is no upper age limit for volunteering but being a Steward Volunteer is a frontline role and is not for anyone who is in a medium or high-risk category.
Team leaders will ensure volunteers have the correct equipment to keep them safe at all times and social distancing will be in place throughout volunteer shifts.
There are lots of other volunteering roles available on the website.
Will I be asked to wear PPE?
Yes, the safety of volunteers is extremely important and you will be provided with appropriate PPE at the vaccination centres by your team leader.
Will I come in direct contact with patients?
One of the key jobs of our Steward Volunteers is to make sure people queuing up to receive their jabs are keeping to a safe social distance.
This is also includes yourself, so, where possible you will be two metres away from patients and other volunteers.
What training will I be given?
You will be provided with a comprehensive ‘Getting You Started guide’ to explain everything that is required on site.
As this is a non-clinical role, no specific training is required and once you arrive on site, team leaders will take you through a site introduction and briefing.
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