State officials say all three vaccination clinics at nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been completed and still, numbers show staff members are still declining the vaccine.
What You Need To Know
- AHCA said facilities self report the data and the numbers change daily
- Some who resisted the vaccine earlier this year are getting it now
- More long-term care stories by Cait McVey
- More Coronavirus headlines
When the first vaccine clinics were completed at the end of January, state data showed staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities were getting vaccinated at less than half the rate of residents. New numbers released by AHCA Monday show the vaccination rates now are about the same, with only a slight uptick at assisted living facilities.
To date, 36 percent of nursing home staff have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is the same as it was in January. At assisted living facilities, 40 percent of staff have received at least one dose of the vaccine, up from 35 percent in January. AHCA said facilities self-report the data and the numbers change daily.
Theresa Lloyd works at Grand Villa of Largo and was among many working in long-term care that declined the vaccine when first offered.
“I had needed to learn a lot more about it, “ Lloyd said. “And I was afraid because I’m allergic to chocolate and eggs and I have allergies really bad.”
However, Lloyd changed her mind after talking to others who had been vaccinated and doing some research on her own.
“When I went online and typed that in about my situation, it gave me some good results about how it’s still safe,” Lloyd said. “And I was like 'OK, this time I’m ready.'"
Lloyd said she also checked with the pharmacist who gave her the shot for further reassurance. Now, she said she is fully vaccinated and is encouraging others to do the same.
“At the end of the day, I really felt good that I made the right decision,” Lloyd said. “Cause it’s worth it. It really is.”
While clinics run by either the state or the federal pharmacy partnership have wrapped up, officials with Florida’s Division of Emergency Management said vaccines will now be allocated to pharmacies regularly used by facilities other than CVS or Walgreens, so vaccination efforts can continue.