With all the new vaccine updates happening, I want to take a quick moment and share what you should be paying attention to.
The vaccines are an excellent tool in mitigating COVID-19, so understanding where we are in the process of vaccinations is important. We also know that COVID-19 rates in our facilities were and are directly related to the rates in the communities they reside in. To help you identify where your COVID-19 rates are, you can head to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker. Clicking on your state will give you specific local data that can support you in making decisions that are right for your facility.
The other site to look at is the CDC’s page specifically for long-term care and pharmacy partnership. If you haven’t already done so, here is all the information needed to receive the vaccinations in your facility.
Next Steps for Long-Term Care Facilities
- Initiate a discussion with your existing LTC pharmacy to better understand your options. If the pharmacy is set up to receive COVID-19 vaccine through the federal government or through your state, the pharmacy can administer vaccine to your residents and staff.
- Find an alternate pharmacy if your existing LTC pharmacy is not a federal or state COVID-19 vaccination partner. View the list of long-term care (LTC) pharmacies enrolledpdf icon with the federal government to provide COVID-19 vaccine. You can also contact your state health department to find additional providers in your area.
- Lastly, some states may enroll LTCFs as COVID-19 vaccination providers and allow them to order COVID-19 vaccine directly for administration to their residents and staff. The COVID-19 vaccination provider enrollment process differs by state and may not be an option for every facility. Facilities should work directly with their state immunization program if this option is desired.
IPCWell is happy to answer further questions regarding vaccinations or any other challenges you and your facility may be facing. Do not hesitate to visit www.ipcwell.com/contact-us/ and let us know. We are here to help.
Thank you to all our healthcare worker superheroes out there. Be safe and be well.