The COVID-19 vaccine continues to reach new Good Samaritan Society locations every week. Ninety percent of locations have now had their first vaccination clinic, and 66% of residents have also had their first dose according to Rochelle Rindels, vice president of nursing and clinical services.
Watch now: Rochelle Rindels Facebook Live Q&A
Who gets vaccine priority?
Society staff and long-term care residents are the top priority when it comes to getting the vaccine.
“Once we get through those residents and patient-care facing employees, we’ll really work with the states,” Rindels said.
Depending on the state, the next priority populations are older adults and people with chronic medical conditions.
“(Ages) 65 and above. We’re seeing some 75 and above,” Rindels said.
Rindels says because of the vaccines we are getting closer to fewer restrictions on family visitations.
“The vaccine is really the way that we’ll get to reopen and open our doors wide again,” Rindels said.
In the meantime, locations are getting creative to help families see their loved ones with compassionate care visits and the essential caregiver program. Other centers are building safe visitation rooms.
Providing new treatment
A new COVID-19 treatment is becoming an important tool for Society residents to fight COVID-19. It is the monoclonal antibody therapy, or bamlanivimab, and it can be administered by Society staff members at some locations.
“I think the most rewarding is when our nurses can start and oversee that infusion from start to end for the residents that they’ve cared for. It’s really the light at the end of the tunnel,” Rindels said. “Our nurses are just so grateful and honored to give this to residents.”
The “bam” treatment can reduce the severity of the COVID-19 symptoms and hospitalizations for residents.
Watching for variants
The Society is keeping a close eye on different variants of the coronavirus that are popping up around the globe. It is not currently testing for variants at its locations.
“When you have a virus that moves through a large population of people there will always be some variant strains that surface out of that transmission over time,” Rindels said.
The best example to look at, Rindels says, is the annual flu vaccine.
“Each year when we have the influenza vaccination, it’s always a quadrivalent vaccine, meaning that covers four variants of the influenza virus. So we’re just starting to see some of those similar variants and that similar process come out in the COVID-19 process as well,” Rindels said.
Rindels says the variants do not present more serious symptoms. Still, it’s important to continue washing your hands, wearing your mask and practice social distancing to stop the spread.
Honoring heroes
Rindels says keeping residents safe wouldn’t be possible without employees who are going above and beyond their call of duty.
“These residents really become family and part of our lives,” Rindels said.
A nurse herself, Rindels wants to say thank you to all those health care heroes working hard every day to take care of others at the Society.
“It seems like just your day-to-day work that you would not think twice about doing because you’re a nurse but the deep and impactful meaning that it has for residents and family members is really amazing to see,” Rindels said.
If you’d like more information about how Good Samaritan Society is keeping its staff and residents safe from COVID-19, you can sign up for our newsletter.
Read more
- Society staff & residents in Minnesota get COVID-19 vaccine
- COVID-19 vaccination clinic brings hope to Iowa residents
- COVID-19 vaccine: When’s the right time for the second dose?
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Posted In COVID-19, Expert Q&A, Immunizations, Senior Services
