THE HERALD is launching perhaps its most important campaign yet in this week’s paper – seeking to mobilise the community in one huge effort to see off the dreaded coronavirus once and for all in a final ‘Fight for Freedom’.

NHS workers and volunteers across Farnham have been working around the clock in recent weeks to roll out the UK’s largest ever vaccination programme – and more than 1,000 elderly and vulnerable residents have already been given their first doses of the life-saving Pfizer jab.

But with hopes that the new Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will lead to a scaling up of the programme in coming weeks, the time is now to reach out to people in Farnham to also roll up their sleeves and support the gargantuan local effort.

Hundreds of volunteers may be needed in Farnham alone over the next six to nine months to ensure everybody aged over 18 in the town area get their jabs – and a list of the specific roles and skills thought to be needed is listed to the right of this page.

These range from qualified healthcare professionals, practising or retired, to serve as vaccinators – but also a huge backroom team to support our health workers, with everyone from skilled administrators to car-park marshals needed.

With supplies of the vaccine still unpredictable, it is not known exactly when this bank of volunteers will be called on, and patience is called for.

But Farnham’s Primary Care Network hopes to build a database of potential helpers in coming weeks, so people can be on board and ready when the vaccine programme truly takes off.

At its height, the vaccination programme could operate six days a week – with GPs and nurses potentially vaccinating as many as 2,000 patients in the town area weekly.

But only if enough capacity can be created.

With NHS staff currently juggling the demands of the vaccine with their day jobs – GPs and nurses worked 13- hour days last week to vaccinate the first of the area’s care-home residents, and admin staff have twice had to make hundreds of lengthy phone calls at short notice in recent weeks – it is clear more help will be needed to meet this bold ambition.

Farnham Hospital’s vaccination clinic launched on December 18, delivering its first 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine over three days, and last week the first of the town’s care-home residents received their jabs.

A second ‘pizza box’ of 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine is expected today (Thursday), as well as an extra pack of 75 Pfizer doses for care homes, and, for the first time, 400 doses of the new Oxford vaccine.

But Dr Ed Wernick, the GP leading Farnham’s Covid response, predicts “the taps on distribution should open over the next few weeks” – and so the time is right to start signing up volunteers for the big push.

He said: “Primary care at this time of year and hospitals are always at maximum capacity. And then we’ve got all the increased clinical need for those who are unwell with Covid, and then the vaccination programme on top of that.

“It’s all hands on deck, and we need more help to be able to deliver this within the time scales needed.”

Suzanne Nicholls, Farnham’s operational lead for Covid, added: “We are very stretched already, but the will is there to do more, because that is our only way out.”What roles are needed?FARNHAM’S Primary Care Network has produced a list of specific roles and skills it forecasts will be needed in coming weeks and months. These range from skilled and qualified health professionals, to marshals to help direct vehicles and patients at vaccine clinics.There are also a range of other community volunteering opportunities to help those in the town area most affected by the pandemic. Vaccination clinic roles:* Vaccinators – Registered healthcare professionals* Health Care Assistants – professional HCAs or carers with a valid care certificate* Administrators and receptionists – with reception and/or data entry experience* Marshalls – car park/outdoor* Marshalls – indoorOther community roles:* Neighbourhood buddies (see below)* Volunteers (email [email protected] for a full list of volunteering opportunities).Volunteers can offer as much, or as little, of their time as they can manage – with roles available at weekends as well as weekdays. But with demand unpredictable, volunteers are urged not to feel downbeat if not contacted right away.Anyone wishing to volunteer their services for the vaccine programme, or an array of other volunteering opportunities in the town, is asked to email [email protected] or call the Farnham and Villages Coronavirus Support helpline on 01252 745446, Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.