The state board overseeing emergency medical services moved Friday to allow workers above a certain level of EMS certification to aid in the administration of any COVID-19 vaccine for the next 12 months.

The recommendation, which also passed with a guidance document listing best practices, allows for those with Emergency Medical Technician, or EMT, and Advanced EMT certification to administer a COVID-19 or influenza vaccine.

The temporary allowance was supported by their Medical Advisory Council and a subcommittee on planning and operations, given that the patient has provided prior consent to the vaccinations.

“There is a state plan for distribution and use of the vaccine and they do anticipate the need, much like we do every year with the flu shot clinics, to have EMS providers present to assist in just the movement of people through there and in trying to do the actual vaccine administration: said Joe House, executive director of the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services.

With staffing shortages hitting health care facilities across Kansas harder in recent weeks and flu season in full swing, the allowance of higher-level EMS workers should help ease some of those staffing constraints.

Some board members expressed caution if these employees would be administering vaccinations on the go, but House said those with approval of this type of action would be doing so in a more formalized setting.

“It’s not just walking around and hitting people with shots: House said. “This is them coming to a clinic or coming to a hospital and just utilizing the EMS personnel to administer that vaccine:’

The Board also moved to allow all levels of EMS providers to assist in COVID-19 specimen collection for testing.

As of Friday, the Kansas Department for Health and Environment has recorded 1,786 deaths from the pandemic, including 107 since Wednesday. The virus has infected 168,000 Kansans.

Jeremiah Brown, supervisor of the Ellsworth County EMS, said he and his fellow EMS supervisors across the state are just in the second week of discussing the particulars of the vaccination program.

“If it’s made available to us and if we have the capability to do it, we will if we’re asked to help: Brown said regarding EMTs or advanced EMTs to administer a COVID-19 or influenza vaccine.

“If it’s made available to us and if we have the capability to do it, we will if asked to help.”

Jeremiah Brown

Ellsworth County EMS supervisor