The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) have expanded their #GetVaccinated campaign to encourage long term care facility staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. The #GetVaccinated campaign now offers a dedicated website to help educate and encourage caregivers and staff at long term care facilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The dedicated website includes credible information from renowned medical professionals, public health officials, and scientists to help answer common questions about the vaccines. The website also encourages vaccinated staff to share their personal experience and reasons for getting vaccinated on social media. The dedicated website can be accessed at #GetVaccinated.
A recent AHCA/NCAL report showed an 82% decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases in nursing homes since late December 2020, now with the lowest number of weekly cases since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started tracking new COVID-19 cases in May 2020.
The #GetVaccinated campaign is a project of AHCA and NCAL, funded in part by a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The expanded #GetVaccinated campaign’s purpose is to answer questions, address concerns, and help long term care staff feel confident in their choice to get vaccinated.
Issue
The importance of long-term care staff members getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can not be overemphasized. The COVID-19 vaccination plays a vital role in reducing the spread of COVID-19. As healthcare leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that staff are aware of the benefits and any possible side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Discussion Points:
- Review your policy and procedure on the COVID-19 vaccine for employees. The most current and up-to-date information should be incorporated into your policy. Update as needed.
- Train staff on the most up-to-date and accurate information on the COVID-19 vaccine, on the importance of being vaccinated, as well as the potential side effects. Share the statistics about the drop in COVID-19 active cases related to vaccination rates to demonstrate the value to both staff and residents. Provide employees with the AHCA/NCAL link so they can review the information themselves.
- Periodically audit staff to determine their understanding of COVID-19, the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, and potential benefits and side effects. Track the vaccination rates for your residents and staff alike.
