The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is playing a major role in the fight against COVID-19 in the United States, deploying more than 300 units to assist vaccination efforts in 43 states, plus Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
“MRC units started training for COVID-19 vaccination campaigns years ago, recognizing that any pandemic, major disease outbreak, or even a terrorist attack could create a need for mass dispensing of treatments or vaccines,” National MRC Program Director Esmeralda Pereira said. “Some used this year’s annual flu vaccination clinics as exercises to plan for COVID-19 vaccine missions, practicing drive-through operations and implementing social distancing guidelines.”
These units have been buoyed by a network that has gained 25,000 volunteers since January 2020. Those volunteers have brought the total number of people within MRC units to around 200,000 people. As such, additional MRC units are readying to further aid efforts once more doses become available nationwide.
“The support of MRC volunteers continues to be an essential part of the effort to expand access to vaccinations,” Nikki Bratcher-Bowman, Acting Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, which sponsors and provides assistance to the MRC, said. “Many of these incredible volunteers have been responding to COVID-19 non-stop over the last year. And when vaccines became available in December, they stepped up even more. It’s been very meaningful to the entire public health and healthcare community.”
Volunteers are managed and deployed at the state, territorial or local levels, depending on the situation. They included both medical/public health officials and those without healthcare backgrounds. The latter assists with operations and administrative support, while the former provide patient screening, vaccine administration, monitoring of adverse reactions, exit counseling, and behavioral health.
Recognizing the MRC’s role in health security, the recently signed American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included $100 million in funding for the Corps. While vaccination is the organization’s current focus, MRC volunteers have also assisted with testing, medical surge support, investigations, outreach, and more since the crisis began.