Fresno County is building a pool of medically trained volunteers to address the possibility of staffing shortages at hospitals and other health care facilities resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.

The county made the announcement as the number of local COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise. Over the past 14 days, the number of positive cases have increased by more than 73%, according to state monitoring data. Fresno County hospitalizations rose by almost 84% during the same period.

Registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), certified nurse assistants, and others with medical and healthcare experience are being sought. The county has set up a website for sign-ups. Some paid positions are available, as well, county officials said.

“As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Fresno County and across the country, the demands for resources and support continue to increase in healthcare settings and local health departments,” the county said in a news release.

Other Opportunities

In addition to medically trained volunteers, the county said it is also seeking people with other types of experience, including:

• nutrition
• administration
• customer service
• social work
• case management
• office assistance
• information technology, and many more.