Long-term care facilities receive Covid vaccine

This past week, two of Cass County’s long term care facilities began offering Covid-19 vaccines. Golden Villa started theirs on Dec. 29, becoming one of the first long term care facilities in Northeast Texas to offer the vaccine for its staff and residents. This national initiative by Walgreens and CVS provides the vaccine to long-term care facilities. Red River Pharmacy was the pharmacy on hand administrating the Pfizer version of the vaccine. The people who received the initial dose of the vaccine will be required to take a second shot 21 days later as part of this vaccine’s procedure.

Staff members of the facility were lined up and ready to do their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Cass County’s long-term facilities have done everything possible to stop the virus from getting into their facilities by providing screening and other preventive measures. Focused Care at Linden for example, uses the MediClean machine that kills viruses including COVID. “We wipe down all high use areas with disinfectant every two hours and we social distance for bingo and other social activities,” said Christine Donald, Executive Director of Operations.

Long term care facility administrators are hopeful that the vaccinations will provide the necessary tool to keep the residents and staff safe, and get things back to normal. “I think since we had round one of vaccines, everyone is feeling encouraged. As if we are on the road to ‘normalcy’,” says Donald.

One local hospice worker noted that it isn’t just Covid-19 that is affecting those in long term care facilities. It is also the inability to see their loved ones and the loss of loved ones or even roommates that is affecting them as well. Indeed, while the vaccine clinic was going on, one resident had a window visitor, talking to her on a cell phone as they watched each other through her window, unable to connect in any physical way. That is why the staff is encouraging family members to also get the vaccine when it becomes available to them.

Golden Villa has a staff of about 150 and 70 residents. The vaccine will be administered over several days to about 20 staff and residents a day with 95% of residents eventually receiving the vaccine. Those who receive the vaccine will be monitored in case of any adverse effects.

Focused Care of Linden also began their vaccine clinic this week, starting on Dec. 30, followed by a second clinic for those who missed the first and for those who need their second dose, and finally, a third clinic which will only be for those who have already received their first dose. They are also administering the Pfizer version.