As the U.S. seeks ways to speed up the administration of Covid-19 vaccines, some states and providers are withdrawing non-traditional vaccinations, including dentists, retirees and students, to aid the process.
On Monday, the California Department of Consumer Affairs approved an emergency waiver allowing dentists to administer Covid-19 vaccines to people 16 years and older. The American Dental Association says dentists should not give the vaccine in multiple states, including Oregon, where the first U.S. dentist to administer a Covid-19 vaccine did last month.
Some health systems, such as Mount Sinai Health System in New York City and the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) Medicine, use a source of newly trained nursing, medical, and dental students to help with the vaccination.
“We have used some atypical vaccines because we want to keep the priority of keeping our licensed nurses in bed,” said Dr. Sarah Nafziger, professor of emergency medicine at UAB, said. “As we roll out the vaccine, we are simultaneously dealing with a surge of the patient.”
Some jurisdictions are looking for retired healthcare professionals, who have the skills to administer vaccines and do not actively care for Covid-19 patients.
“There are a lot of retired doctors who stand up to act as vaccinators,” New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli told a news conference on Wednesday.
Covid-19 vaccines need to be trained and authorized.
Dr. William Reynolds, president of the American Optometric Association, says optometry is an untapped resource in the vaccination effort. He said they are widely distributed and ready to jump into smaller and rural communities that need more manpower.
The association says 19 states allow optometrists to administer drugs via injection – and in California they can administer flu and shingles vaccines, but they are not authorized to give the Covid-19 vaccine specifically.
“We want to be part of the solution,” Reynolds said.