Low COVID-19 and RSV Vaccination Rates in Nursing Homes

In the ongoing battle against infectious diseases, nursing homes nationwide face a critical challenge: alarmingly low vaccination rates among residents and staff. In a webinar held by the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) on March 5, 2024, AHCJ Health Beat Leader on Aging, Liz Seegert, will engage with experts in the field to discuss this challenge.

Almost 4 years after the pandemic began, vaccines for COVID-19, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza are available, but their uptake is still insufficient. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), this lack of protection has dire consequences. The recent data reveals that in just the first 2 weeks of January, approximately 600 nursing home residents lost their lives to COVID-19.

Respiratory illnesses such as flu and RSV are rising in some regions of the United States. Unfortunately, vaccination rates have not improved despite the high risk for these illnesses among the elderly. This has increased infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths during winter when respiratory diseases peak. Additionally, as of the end of 2023, only about 23% of nursing home staff had received the COVID-19 booster shot, according to CDC figures.

This pressing issue raises critical questions: Why are vaccination rates in nursing homes still so low? What can nursing homes or state authorities do to protect their vulnerable residents and the staff who care for them?

In the webinar, Seegert will speak with a geriatrician and researcher, as well as the executive director of an advocacy organization for the aging population, to interpret the data, discuss the hurdles in vaccinating staff and residents, address the ongoing spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, and explore the potential effects of new federal staffing mandates on infection control and prevention in nursing homes. This conversation aims to shed light on the critical steps needed to safeguard some of society's most susceptible individuals.

Reference

Parsing the deadly problem of low vaccination rates in nursing homes. Association of Health Care Journalists. Accessed February 28, 2024. https://healthjournalism.org/event/parsing-the-deadly-problem-of-low-vaccination-rates-in-nursing-homes/