Data compiled by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that more than 130,000 nursing home residents have died of Covid-19. Additionally, more than 2,000 nursing home staff died of this virus as well. Once the vaccines were approved and rolled out, there was a significant decline in Covid cases both in and out of nursing homes. Unfortunately, that reprieve has ended as the new Delta variant rages through our country.
The Delta variant is proving to be more contagious. Some statistics showing that where the original virus spread to an average of 2 people, the Delta variant spreads to an average of 7. The vaccines are proving to be effective against the Delta variant at this point, but many breakthrough cases have medical providers worried and cautious. A preliminary study that has yet to be peer reviewed made headlines recently showing that in light of the new variant the effectiveness rates dropped to 76% for Moderna and 42% for Pfizer. Despite this, on August 23, 2021, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for those age 16 and older. Previously, it was under emergency use authorization only. Out of the 170 million people in the United States fully vaccinated, 92 million of those received Pfizer.
With full approval, it is expected that vaccine mandates will be on the rise. Should skilled nursing home staff be a population that is mandated to receive the vaccine? In Maryland, 81% of nursing home residents are vaccinated and 78% of the staff are vaccinated. You can view the up-to-date dashboardprovided by the Maryland Department of Health and see the rates by specific nursing homes. They ranked the top 10 and bottom 10 nursing homesin Maryland by vaccination status.
Should the state mandate that the remaining 19% of the staff be required to get fully vaccinated? Since the outset of this terrible pandemic, it is widely accepted that the elderly suffer a worse fate from Covid-19 and now the Delta variant than younger age groups. Many nonprofit organizations and the American Medical Association are applying pressure to nursing home administrators and encouraging them to require all staff to be vaccinated. It is not known at this time whether these administrators will succumb to the pressure and issue the mandates.
If you have loved ones in a long-term care facility, you can address your concerns by first reviewing the data provided by the Maryland Department of Health which is broken down by specific facility. You can then contact your local ombudsman. Ombudsmen are advocates for residents in long-term care facilities. They advocate for individual residents but also strive to bring about change on local and state-wide levels as well. Their services are free and confidential.
At Stouffer Legal, we care about our seniors and recognize that caregivers of those in long-term care facilities are concerned about exposure to the new Delta variant of Covid-19. Staying informed and building a team that will help advocate for seniors’ best interests is key to keeping our senior loved ones safe. Contact our compassionate elder law attorneys for more information. You can schedule an appointment by calling us at (443) 470-3599, emailing us at office@stoufferlegal.com, or register for an upcoming free webinar using the link below:
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