by Christen Smith, The Center Square | February 12, 2021 07:00 PM Print this article
Long-term care facilities said Thursday that Pennsylvania s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines snubs them, despite their priority status.
“Pennsylvania has allocated less than 20 percent of its vaccine supply to long-term care facilities,” said Zach Shamberg, CEO and President of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. “This is both shocking and insulting.”
The federal government rolled out its national pharmacy partnership to inoculate staff and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities on Dec. 28. In response to Shamberg’s comments, Gov. Tom Wolf said 70 percent of those eligible for vaccination in that group have received their first dose, so far, leading him to question the association’s data.
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Long term care officials say theyâre concerned the state has no plan to assist facilities in ensuring residents and staff can get the COVID-19 vaccine once the federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens concludes.
The two pharmacies have contracts to hold three vaccination clinics at all nursing homes nationwide. After that, the facilities will have to fend for themselves to secure vaccinations for newly admitted residents and staff hires, said Zach Shamberg, president of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, a trade group for the long term care industry.
âWe need guidance on where the vaccine is going to come from when the federal pharmacy partnership program ends,â Shamberg said. âRight now, itâs really an every provider for themselves mentality.â