DALLAS — In the early days of the COVID-19 vaccination effort, leaders at vaccine sites, like the one at Fair Park in Dallas, had little problem finding volunteers to help get vaccinated. 

What You Need To Know

  • There was a great incentive to volunteer because any leftover vaccines would be offered to volunteer

  • Now the vaccine is open to almost all population groups and most vaccination sites have more doses than they do people in line

  • Those in Dallas County can sign up via the county’s volunteer portal.

There was a great incentive to volunteer because any leftover vaccines would be offered to volunteers. At the time the vaccine was in short supply and limited to only certain people.

Now, the vaccine is open to almost all population groups, including teenagers 12 to 15 years old, and most vaccination sites have more doses than they do people in line. 

The incentive to volunteer for many gone and some vaccine site leaders say so are most of their volunteers.

“Yeah, we need volunteers,” said Dallas County Public Health Representative Christian Grisales. “Now that the vaccine’s becoming more available, people are not volunteering as much.”

Fair Park’s volunteer picture has dwindled significantly with some days only drawing a handful to help out and others coming and going with none at all. The site still has plenty of paid staff on hand, FEMA and U.S. Army representatives and healthcare workers to administer the actual shots.

Volunteers are needed to help recipients navigate the vaccination lines and are often the folks watching the 15 minute waiting area after patients are inoculated and alert EMTs to any negative side-effects.

It’s a role that Dallas yoga instructor Mick Luckock has been doing consistently since January.

“They’re happy to be able to go out and finally, when we all get our shots and get vaccinated, to get their masks off and get that social interaction eventually,” said Luckock as he handed out vaccination stickers to people waiting in their vehicles. “I want to be part of it and get more people through.”

Luckock says he’s met a lot of great people who’ve come out to volunteer over the months, but says the turnout has certainly gotten smaller each time he comes out to help.

Grisales says the volunteers are essential part of the vaccination process and, even with fewer cars coming through the lines, volunteers are needed to keep the rollout moving smoothly.

“It’s huge,” said Grisales. “As many people that we can get vaccinated, the faster we can get to that herd immunity and go back to normal.”

Volunteers may be crucial in the coming weeks as the vaccine lines open up to kids as young as 12.

Grisales encourages anyone who has some free time in their schedule to sign up to volunteer. Those in Dallas County can sign up via the county’s volunteer portal.

Texans in other areas of the state are encouraged to contact their local county governments to see how they can help out with the effort as well.