Gov. Evers Seeking Volunteers To Bolster Health Care Efforts

MADISON, WIS – As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state surpassed 3,000 on Friday, Gov. Tony Evers announced that the state is seeking volunteers to support Wisconsin's healthcare system during the ongoing pandemic. According to a release issued Friday, active and retired healthcare professionals and those who wish to help in non-clinical support positions are encouraged to sign up to volunteer through the Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry (WEAVR).

“We are creating a wide network of volunteers to increase capacity at hospitals and clinics across Wisconsin,” Evers said in a press release on Friday. “Our top priority is to make sure there are enough resources to care for the growing number of people who require hospitalization or other healthcare interventions because of this pandemic.”

In his daily press briefing Friday, Evers said that state health issues expect the number of confirmed cases to surge across the state in coming weeks. Evers said it is necessary to build a network of available volunteers now will greatly reduce the hardships on hospitals and clinics that would not normally have the capacity to care for the increase in patients.

According to the release, both active and retired healthcare professionals can volunteer for critical clinical roles by entering their information into the WEAVR, a secure, password-protected, web-based volunteer registration system for healthcare and behavioral health professionals. Individuals who are not licensed professionals are also encouraged to sign up to volunteer for non-clinical support positions.

Volunteers will be assigned to locations across Wisconsin to support ongoing efforts related to the COVID-19 national emergency. Those who are willing to travel should note that when they sign up. All volunteers should also be aware that they will be required to complete a background check.

For up-to-date information about Wisconsin's COVID-19 response, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitteror dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.