AN Aberdeen marketing manager has swapped office life for a frontline role to help in the North-east’s fight against Covid-19.
Laura Masson has taken a period of extended leave from her job at subsea services company Orca Oceanic Systems Ltd (OOS) to work at the Aberdeen mass vaccination centre at TECA.
The 31-year-old took part in weeks of training to become a part-time vaccination support worker and completed her first shifts this week.
She said: “It was a huge thing for me to be a part of it because I want my life back to normal for my kids. I’m doing this for them. I want them to have a better quality of life because right now they just don’t.”
Laura’s duties at the vaccination centre includes greeting and assisting attendees to the cubicles and cleaning of the patient waiting areas.
She said: “It’s really good. You are meeting a lot of people and able to put them at ease.
“A lot of these people that are coming just now haven’t been out their house to see anyone in almost a year.
“My whole family have a medical background and I do have medical knowledge as I previously worked in health care.
“It’s really nice for me to be back in that role to help people. It’s really enjoyable.”
Laura, who started at OOS in October 2018, is still carrying out some work for the firm in time she has available.
She said: “With the nightmare of having to home-school I knew I couldn’t commit much time to Orca.
“But with me now being classed as a key worker the children are back to school.
“Orca have been more than supportive and couldn’t have done anymore for me.
“I’m very proud of what I’ve chosen to do as well as my family.
“I collected my son Max from school after my first shift. He told me how proud of me he was for helping people. It was lovely. For him to see I’m making a difference was such a big thing”
Laura’s current contract with the NHS come to an end in March but she does have the option to continue should she choose to do so.
But one thing Laura can be assured of is the support of OOS in whatever decision she comes too.
Callum Masson, Orca Oceanic commercial manager, said: “Orca are very proud that Laura has taken up the role at the P&J live vaccination centre.
“Whilst loosing Laura for this period will present challenges to the company taking this opportunity to help the wider community during the pandemic is something Laura felt strongly about and is something Orca as a company are right behind and we look forward to welcoming her back in 2022.”
