. More than 3 million elderly and infirm residents of nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities may face delays in getting coronavirus vaccines as the facilities confront the difficult task of obtaining consent, which consumer advocates, operators and some health officials say should have been simplified and started earlier by the federal government. Obtaining consent presents one of the toughest hurdles as officials mobilize to inoculate residents of these facilities, many of whom have dementia or Alzheimer s disease. Facilities must track down relatives or attorneys in those cases, which could take days or weeks. In some instances, they may need to resolve disputes when family members disagree on whether their loved ones should receive a vaccine.
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Sarah Tongson (R), director of social services, gives Douglas Smith some hand santizer during a family visit at the Life Care Center of Kirkland on Aug. 24, 2020 in Kirkland, Washington. According to a report by the CDC, at least 37 coronavirus deaths were linked to this facility. Getty Images
Sherry Perry has seen all the horrors of the pandemic. As a certified nursing assistant at a long-term care facility in Lebanon, Tenn., she has held a phone up to a window so a daughter could say goodbye to her dying father. She has watched residents die alone, not understanding why their families didn’t visit them in their final days. Earlier this month, she herself got Covid, suffering fever and chills, and passing out as she struggled to breathe.
Coronavirus vaccinations begin in Bay Area - S.F. doctor gets the first
Dec. 15, 2020
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Hospital worker Dennis Romero gets his vaccination from nurse Kathy Ferris at Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center in Martinez.Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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Dr. Sergio Urcuyo raises his arms in triumph after he received his COVID-19 vaccine injection from nurse Kathy Ferris at Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center in Martinez.Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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San Francisco Mayor London Breed announces at a news conference that COVID-19 vaccinations have begun at San Francisco General Hospital.Gabrielle Lurie / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
Pharmacies Will Help Roll Out The Coronavirus Vaccine But 1 Doctor Warns Of Chaos bigcountry995.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bigcountry995.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Pharmacies will help roll out the coronavirus vaccine but one doctor warns of chaos
After striking deals with the federal government, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens will help administer the coronavirus vaccine first to health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, and eventually to the general public. Walmart and Sam s Club are also preparing their pharmacies for the rollout.
The first doses left Pfizer s Michigan plant Sunday.
There are discrepancies, however, about when the first dose will be given to nursing home residents, who are some of the most vulnerable to the virus.
On CBS News Face the Nation Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said as soon as the vaccines are received, as early as this week, they can be administered.