According to recent statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about half of the people residing in nursing homes that have been vaccinated against the virus responsible for COVID-19 have received a booster shot.
At first glance, this statistic doesn’t seem too concerning. But the statistics indicate that around 80 percent of this population is eligible for a booster shot. And with preliminary research saying that the vaccine decreases in efficacy over time, the chances of a second resurgence of seniors residing in these settings are at an increasing risk of contracting COVID as time goes by.
Unfortunately, we have already seen that this has the potential to be a disaster. Back at the beginning of the pandemic, we saw that nursing homes were hit in an unusually hard way. Early on, seniors accounted for the vast majority of deaths in the pandemic. Even though the dynamics of the situation have changed over the last few months, seniors are still more susceptible to suffering from complications from the virus. Weaker immune systems, other health issues, and other issues still place the elderly population as the group most vulnerable to be hurt by the virus.
Seniors have been much more likely to receive a vaccine than the general population. As of the middle of December, about 60 percent of the general population had been vaccinated. When it comes to those that are age 65 or older, about 87 percent had been vaccinated.
So then, why are fewer seniors than are eligible receiving a booster shot?
One suspected reason is in how vaccines were originally rolled out. Originally, seniors were the first group that was eligible for the vaccine, and the CDC took steps to ensure that nursing homes were amongst the first places to receive vaccine doses. The seniors that were eligible for the vaccine and lived in nursing homes had first dibs in a way when it came to getting the shot. Similar measures have not been put in place for booster shots. Because of increased availability, the booster is available in a lot of different locations so seniors have not had early access.
The reality is that those that live in nursing homes don’t have the ability to easily go to their local drug store and receive a booster. This population doesn’t have the same easy access to the booster shot as younger adults do. And they are placed at a greater risk of getting the virus again as a result.
If you have questions or concerns about the COVID vaccine, please speak with a medical professional. This blog post is not designed to provide any sort of medical advice, but only to point out a trend that is occurring.
Things like this are why we’re so passionate about senior care. Our older loved ones deserve the best care possible. In-home care strives to achieve this, even if it cannot do so for everyone perfectly. Everyone has different needs, and in-home care attempts to help people meet those needs. Hopefully, this awareness helps.
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