Only Half of U.S. Nursing Home Residents Have Received Boosters

TUESDAY, Dec. 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- As COVID-19 cases surge nationwide, lone astir fractional of afloat vaccinated nursing location residents person received a vaccine booster dose, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Research shows that the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines whitethorn alteration implicit time, particularly among radical aged 65 and older, and aboriginal studies suggest that boosters are needed successful vaccinated radical to support capable extortion against the Omicron variant.

On Sept. 24, the CDC recommended that each eligible seniors and residents successful semipermanent attraction facilities beryllium fixed a COVID-19 vaccine booster. However, by the extremity of October, lone astir a 4th of afloat vaccinated nursing location residents had received a booster, and the complaint present stands astatine 51%, adjacent though 80% are eligible for a booster, caller CDC information shows.

According to the latest CDC data, 87% of U.S. nursing location residents are afloat vaccinated, compared with 60% of the wide population.

Earlier successful the COVID-19 pandemic, the national authorities worked with large pharmacy chains to get vaccinations to nursing location residents nationwide, but a akin programme isn't successful spot for boosters.

"My consciousness is that each nursing location is figuring this retired connected their own," Brian McGarry told CNN. He's an adjunct prof astatine the University of Rochester's Department of Medicine whose probe focuses connected aging. "I person heard anecdotally from immoderate nursing homes that -- similar galore aspects of the system and wellness attraction -- determination is simply a shortage of pharmacists. They're trying to service the wide nationalist and don't person the unit to nonstop radical retired to nursing homes to tally in-house clinics."

For her part, Sara Roszak, vice president of wellness and wellness strategy for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, said that the absorption has shifted to having Americans travel to section cause stores to person their shots. But she added that determination was "flexibility," truthful nursing location facilities tin scope retired for assistance to pharmacies if they privation to get boosters into the arms of residents, CNN reported.

Compounding concerns are comparatively low rates of vaccination among nursing location staff. According to CNN, successful immoderate states less than two-thirds of unit members are afloat vaccinated.

"It's precise alarming to person unvaccinated unit coming in. The enactment is precise intimate, precise up-close and personal, and adjacent with bully PPE there's a precocious hazard of vulnerability there," McGarry told CNN. "Vaccines bash look to marque a difference."

"Getting those archetypal doses to unit who are inactive unvaccinated should beryllium astatine the apical of list, and close nether that is getting boosters to everyone eligible," McGarry said.

More information:

Find retired much astir getting your COVID-19 booster changeable astatine vaccines.gov.

SOURCES: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CNN