Moving the needle in nursing home vaccination rates
By
Michael Wasserman
Leslie Eber
Feb 14, 2024
On February 29, 2020, the first Coronavirus nursing home outbreak was reported by the media. Experts in geriatric and long-term care medicine immediately understood the dangers to nursing home residents....
‘A lot of barriers’ hitting LTC communities in search of COVID vaccines
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Nov 02, 2023
Despite a major push from the Biden administration to get the COVID vaccine used far and wide, at least one long-term care infection prevention expert said her community barely got enough to cover skilled...
New COVID booster shot rollout expected near Labor Day: officials
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 25, 2022
The FDA expects to soon authorize omicron-targeting shots. The White House is planning to distribute them as part of a fall vaccination campaign, federal officials say.
Full vaccination ahead? New regulations, boosters complicate upcoming flu and COVID shots
By
John Hall
Aug 17, 2022
Nursing homes might again find themselves at ground zero of the COVID vaccine efficacy debate this fall, yet wiser for the wear from the early chaotic days of the epidemic.
Pfizer, BioNTech to pursue 2nd booster shot authorization for older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 16, 2022
A second booster — or fourth dose — will be necessary to improve the vaccine’s waning protection in the face of omicron, Pfizer’s CEO has stated. Whether the FDA will find the evidence compelling...
CDC: Boosted nursing home residents 10 times less likely to be infected with COVID-19
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 17, 2021
The news, delivered by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, is a bit of cheer amidst other new evidence that COVID-19 cases are increasing among fully vaccinated long-term care residents.
Eliminating vaccine hesitancy through education
By
Helen Adeosun
Kevin Smith
Nov 17, 2021
The last 19 months have been filled with many unknowns, and healthcare has been forever impacted because of it. The COVID-19 Delta variant is creating continued challenges, filling ICUs and hospital beds...
‘How good are those vaccines now?’ Mixed AARP nursing home report prompts a thorny question
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 15, 2021
A new AARP report shows encouraging trends in COVID-19 cases and vaccinations. But the steady rate of resident deaths raises concerns for the future as vaccine efficacy wanes, analysts say.
Hold on. This is gonna hurt.
By
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 10, 2021
I was listening earlier this week to an update on federal vaccine mandate challenges, which seem likely to send us on a roller coaster ride of emotions, preparedness and, potentially, disorganization,...
Local vaccine mandates adding punishing pressure
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 14, 2021
Philadelphia is among several cities and states to adopt their own mandates ahead of federal rule for healthcare workers that is expected later this month. Fast-approaching deadlines may trigger an avalanche...