Nursing homes get COVID-19 vaccine through national program

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) issued a statement Wednesday reported positive progress in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine at long-term care homes and facilities across the U.S. through the pharmacy partership program.

“With record-breaking cases in nursing homes right now due to soaring community spread, no one could wish for a swifter delivery of the vaccine than those living and working in long term care facilities. While we must be efficient in order to save the lives of our most vulnerable, we must also be thoughtful and targeted in our approach,” Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said on Wednesday.

Parkinson addressed the distribution speed of the COVID-19 vaccine through the program, saying it would not be a quick process but that so far, administration of the vaccine has not seen any major delays or widespread problems.

“Since the creation of the pharmacy partnership program for long term care, we knew that this rollout would take time: to approve the vaccines for use,” Parkinson said. “The plan from the beginning was to vaccinate long term care residents and staff with the first dose over three to four weeks, beginning the last two weeks of December. Therefore, we are in the midst of the pharmacy partnership program really getting underway, and we believe this program is operating in accordance with its intended timeline.”