PA Touts 'Milestone' In Vaccinating Nursing Homes

Norristown PA

23 February, 2021

4:11 PM

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PENNSYLVANIA — While the statewide vaccination campaign has been fraught with delays, mistakes, and no shortage of confusion, officials are touting the efforts to get the vaccine to the state's most vulnerable populations. More than 600 skilled nursing home facilities in the state have now been fully vaccinated, with all residents and employees who wanted the vaccine receiving both first and second doses. "This is an important milestone for Pennsylvania, and it marks key progress in ensuring that our most vulnerable residents have access to a vaccine," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. "Skilled nursing, personal care, and assisted living facilities have been hit hard by the pandemic, which is why this milestone is such an important one for us to recognize – because it shows how far we have come in protecting our most vulnerable residents." However, there still remain thousands of residents and staff that have not yet received shots. Critics like the Pennsylvania Health Care Association say that these facilities need to be receiving a higher percentage of doses to accelerate vaccinations. "Since the start of this pandemic, providers have been waiting for a remedy to protect their vulnerable residents and the workers who care for them," the group's president and CEO, Zach Shamberg, said in a statement. "We are nearly two months into the state's vaccine rollout, and some providers are still waiting." Shamberg said that nursing home dose allocations are less than 20 percent of the state's overall dosage, and that this number needs to be increased. Despite the milestone announced Tuesday, there are still many other facilities, including other types of residences and independent living situations, which require attention and vaccines. Officials acknowledge that vaccinating all of these facilities is an ongoing process, one which they hope will be completed by mid-March. The state's plan to continue vaccinations at these facilities will involve a series of three clinics at each facility statewide. There are also plans in place to vaccinate all new arriving residents, as well as newly hired staff.