As 2020 wraps up, around 2.8 million people have received a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. As of December 30, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 167,149 people in nursing homes and long-term-care centers had been given shots, though more than 2.1 million doses had been distributed for those facilities.
Vaccination in this population is especially urgent, given that deaths in long-term care facilities have accounted for more than a third of the total COVID-19 deaths in the country for most of the pandemic. Thankfully, because the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released an interim recommendation on December 1 for the highest priority group (referred to as “Phase 1a”) to include long-term care facility residents as well as health care workers, many facilities launched their vaccination programs in recent days or plan to do so in the coming weeks.
“There’s a general feeling of gratitude and excitement among residents, their families and staff around the availability of vaccines and being within the first group of recipients,” says Mark Dubovick, Health Services Administrator at The Admiral at the Lake, a senior living community in Chicago. They began administering vaccines on December 30, starting with staff as well as residents from The Harbors, their assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing building, says Dubovick.
Angie Keeven, Chief Wellness Officer at Cedarhurst Senior Living, which has 47 communities in nine states, including Kansas, Missouri and Georgia, echoes that sentiment. “This is a very exciting time for our communities, the senior living/healthcare industry and country as a whole as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Keeven.
Have a loved one in a long-term care facility who’s looking forward to receiving their immunization? Here’s a look at where the process stands and what you need to know.
How and when long-term care residents will receive a COVID-19 vaccine
Here’s what you need to know about how long-term care residents are being prioritized, depending on where you live and how vaccinations will occur.
States are making their own calls on where long-term care residents fall in line
Forty-five states are following ACIP’s interim Phase 1a recommendation to prioritize long-term care residents for COVID-19 vaccination, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). For instance, West Virginia and Florida started their campaigns in mid-December, making them two of earliest states to do so, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Meanwhile, seven states aren’t following ACIP’s Phase 1a recommendation. For instance, in the District of Columbia and Utah, long-term care residents are in Phase 1b. You can find more info on where your state stands on their site.
State criteria aside, KFF points out that decisions about how to allocate the initial batch of vaccines to long-term care residents will be left to the facilities themselves.
Many facilities will vaccinate through a federal program
Many states are taking part in The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care (LTC) Program, a partnership between the federal government and CVS, Walgreens and some local pharmacies, like Senior Care Pharmacy in Alabama and Absolute Pharmacy in Ohio, that is working to distribute and administer either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines in long-term care facilities, according to the CDC.
The program and the vaccines are free.
How residents will receive their vaccine through the program
The pharmacies will handle everything from scheduling logistics with the facilities to providing supplies to cold chain management, says the CDC.
“We’ll visit each site three different times,” says CVS Health Bay Area regional director Joe Fiesel, according to NBC-affiliate KCRA in Sacramento, California where the program began on December 28. He explains that the initial visit is focused on the first dose, and the next, several weeks later, for the second dose. (Pfizer requires two doses with three weeks between, while Moderna requires two doses spread out 28 days apart.) “And then we’ll go one last time to make sure we didn’t miss anybody in that facility,” he says.
What residents’ loved ones need to know
If your older loved one is set to receive their vaccine soon, here are a few ways to prepare.
Talk with your loved one and their physician about the vaccine
The ACIP recommendation states that the shot should be safe for almost everyone, including people with underlying medical conditions and the elderly. That said, each individual should consult with his/her personal medical provider prior to making the decision to receive — or refrain from receiving — the COVID-19 vaccination, advises Keeven, who is heading up the rollout to the 3,000 residents across all of Cedarhurst’s communities.
Get familiar with a facility’s vaccination protocol
Get the details on your loved one’s facility’s vaccination policies. None of the communities we spoke with are requiring that residents get the vaccine. “We are educating staff and residents on the vaccine and strongly encouraging everyone to participate,” says Burns. “Our management team will be rolling up our sleeves to model the way.”
Along with information specific to a particular residence, your loved one might also receive an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) fact sheet on the vaccine with info on risks, benefits and what to expect — and it will be documented in their chart that they’ve been given it. (EUA is one of the ways vaccines are made available to the public in emergencies, like a pandemic, according to the FDA.) Those acting as a medical proxy for loved ones unable to receive the info themselves should also get a copy. Also important to keep in mind if you’re a medical proxy: You may have to provide consent on your loved one’s behalf ahead of time, says the CDC.
Read up on reliable info
Keeven also recommends seniors and their loved ones look at “reliable sources offering information on the vaccine.” For example, the CDC’s website includes a list of facts about the vaccine, underscoring, among other things, that your loved one will not contract COVID-19 from the vaccine and that inoculation is important even if you’ve had the virus already.
Reach out with questions
“Our team has been in regular contact with both staff and families of our residents and provided information regarding both the process, timeline and even the possible side effects,” says Dubovick. “Many of these conversations happened in individual and small group interactions where individualized education and inquiries could be accommodated. Details on the next round of vaccine distribution are in development.” He also encourages family members to reach out to staff for more info on the process.
