Dilemmas surrounding the use of volunteers and corona

How do you ensure that everyone feels safe in your organization? And how can you reduce the risks of infection as much as possible? Most volunteer organizations have resumed their activities. The corona rules were relaxed for a while but have been tightened again. Are we allowed to ask volunteers and participants if they have been vaccinated? How do we ensure that we do not exclude people? How do we make clear agreements?During a webinar that we organized on November 1, 2021, several volunteer organizations had a discussion with Marty Jacobs, an infection prevention expert from the GGD Amsterdam. He outlined the developments and based on their questions, he provided insights on how to reduce the risks in their organization. Read about the seven pieces of advice and two challenging example situations. Learn about the basic rules and the rules regarding the QR code on the page.Safe to open with corona.

Advice 1: Also adhere to the basic rules to prevent the flu

The flu season has also started, and experts expect a lot more infections because there was hardly any flu last year. As a result, fewer people have built up immunity. To prevent the spread of the flu, the same basic rules apply. Certain groups can also get vaccinated against the flu. In this context, there is also talk of thesnotneuzenprotocolHello.

Advice 2: Ensure a 1.5-meter distance during all activities

The 1.5 meter measure is back. The 1.5 meters is the rule that, together with ventilation, reduces the risk of infection the most.

Advice 3: Use the face mask when keeping distance is not possible

If you are in a space with multiple people, wear a face mask. If you are in a fixed place, you can take it off. For example, if you are transporting someone in a wheelchair or hospital bed, wear a face mask and if possible, the person in the wheelchair or bed as well. Especially if the contact lasts longer than fifteen minutes, the risk of infection increases.

Starting from November 6, 2021, face masks are mandatory again in shops, libraries, playgrounds, amusement parks, public transport, while walking at vocational schools, colleges or universities, at the hairdresser, and physiotherapist.

Advice 4: Update the rules for safe working again

Due to the new rules communicated at the press conference on November 2, we need to adjust our rules again. Consider which rules are most important for your volunteers and participants, in which situations they should adhere to which rules. Communicate these rules again to everyone.

Advice 5: Engage in conversations with volunteers and participants

What if it is known that some participants or volunteers are not vaccinated and therefore do not want to work together? Start with the rules you have established as an organization and explain why you think they are safe. Ask the person experiencing the problem what they are afraid of, what additional measures could help, or if there is another way to do the work. In short, try to be creative and provide customized solutions. Respect someone’s choice to vaccinate or not, and to work or not with unvaccinated individuals. If someone decides to temporarily stop volunteering, that is also fine.

Advice 6: Add extra rules if the activity is risky

Think about a health check. You can call everyone beforehand or ask about their health upon arrival. If the same people gather multiple times a week, try to work with the same group composition as much as possible.

Advice 7: Avoid excluding unvaccinated individuals as much as possible

If you adhere to the basic rules and have come up with solutions for the activities you organize, if everyone feels safe, there is no need to exclude people who are not vaccinated. Exclusion leads to polarization and has a negative effect on society. Moreover, it creates a sense of false security. Therefore, we recommend considering this measure only for very vulnerable participants. You can then only ask if only vaccinated people want to come, as you are not allowed to check. It may be that the law regarding this will be adjusted.

How do you make a choice?

At the organizational level, you always have to make the decision:

• What is the risk of infection?
• What is the importance of the activity?
• Can we organize the activity in such a way that the risk is acceptable?

On a personal level, it is important that everyone feels safe, including volunteers, participants, visitors, customers, etc.

Example 1: Transport for elderly people

Transporting elderly and sick people in a Canta, with a cough screen. Is that a high risk?

• Yes, because a Canta is very small, you sit very close to each other
• The cough screen does not provide much protection due to the limited space
• The basic rules cannot be applied

What can you do to make the situation safer?

• You could open a window, but this might cause people to catch a cold.
• If the rides are short, the risk decreases again
• You could both wear a face mask.

What is the importance of the activity?

• The elderly and sick people cannot leave their homes without the ride with the Canta
• This causes them to miss out on social contacts with family or friends

Can you establish in this case that the volunteer must be vaccinated?

• Because you can take few additional measures, the activity is very important, and the target group is very vulnerable, this is a consideration.
• You could present this choice to the volunteers and ask if they agree with it.

Example 2: A closing dinner with all volunteers

At the end of the year, an organization wants to invite all volunteers for a dinner. Around 50 people are expected to attend. Is this activity risky?

• Yes, with a large group of people, the risk of infection is also higher.
• They have been together for a long time

What can you do to make the situation safer?

• Is it possible to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters?
• Can we do a health check?
• Can people wear a face mask while walking?
• Can people sit in smaller fixed groups?
• Is the space well ventilated?

If the answer to these questions is yes, the activity can proceed (provided that government regulations also allow it) and you do not have to refuse unvaccinated people.