Southern Illinois University students are helping Jackson County with administering the COVID-19 vaccine. | Adobe Stock
Southern Illinois University students are helping Jackson County with administering the COVID-19 vaccine. | Adobe Stock
Thirty students from the Southern Illinois University (SIU) dental program are reportedly assisting the Jackson County Health Department's efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.
"We are used to seeing, especially the community help us out with our--seeing patients, and everything I felt like it was my duty to be a part of something," Rebecca Ortiz, a senior in the program, said, WSILTV reported.
Students participating in the vaccination effort are also training to become Community Dental Health Coordinators, which associate professor Jennifer Sherry said is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience.
"We hope that the Community Dental Health Coordinator will help them see how important public health is. We have to be able to reach people and be able to provide services that normally maybe people can't get," Sherry said.
The Illinois Dental Hygiene Association has reportedly contacted the governor to allocate additional dental hygienists to assist in rolling out the vaccine.
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