Hoosiers continue to step up in the fight against COVID-19. During last week’s briefing, State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said more than 4,300 people had expressed interest in the health care reserve workforce, after another survey was sent out earlier this month.
“This included 752 retired health care professionals, 290 health care students, and 3,312 active health care practitioners,” Box said. “Of these, nearly 12 percent said they could serve full-time.”
The Bowen Center will help connect them with long-term care facilities or local health departments in need of staff. “I have heard from several small health departments that are struggling to keep their doors open because their staff are sick or in quarantine,” Box added. “The Bowen Center was able to connect one department that was at risk of being down to one employee with 10 reservists in their area who had expressed a willingness to help.”
On top of that, Box said nearly 250 college students have offered to help in hospitals, long-term care facilities, testing sites, schools, and other settings, as part of the Students Step Up 2 Serve program.
