Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

State to offer nursing home staff another chance to get vaccinated as deaths continue to decline in state’s long-term care facilities

Only 35 deaths in nursing homes reported last week, fewest in months

  • Vaccine Info
  • by Dave Altimari
  • February 4, 2021
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

AP Photo

Gov. Ned Lamont gets his temperature checked at The Reservoir nursing home in West Hartford before watching staff and residents get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In an effort to entice more nursing home employees to get vaccinated, the state Department of Public Health will allow them to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the third round of vaccinations at long-term care facilities.

While more than 90 percent of nursing home residents received shots during the first two rounds of vaccinations by CVS and Walgreens personnel, the rate of employees who’ve been vaccinated has been much lower. The third round is underway this week at some facilities.

The state hasn’t reported overall vaccination numbers from nursing homes, but officials believe 50% to 60% of the state’s more than 25,000 nursing home employees have now been vaccinated. Those numbers are an improvement from the first round, when some providers said 40% or less of their workers got vaccinated.

During a weekly conference call with nursing home providers this week, DPH officials told them that employees can get their first doses at the third clinic as long as they get the second dose offsite.

The hope is that more employees will get vaccinated if given another opportunity. Several providers have said that they have emphasized getting vaccines to their employees but think they decided to wait to see if the first groups had any issues before committing.

The state hasn’t released a plan for how nursing homes can vaccinate newer residents who moved into a facility after vaccinators made their second-round visits.

Many facilities have short-term rehabilitation units with people moving in and out between visits from vaccinators. During the first two rounds, residents who were vaccinated and left were able to return to the facility for their second doses, but that option will not be available this time.

More than 91,000 vaccinations have been administered in the state’s long-term care facilities. More than 28,000 residents and staff have received both doses of the vaccine.

Deaths down again

The large-scale vaccinations of nursing home residents has led to a marked decrease in the number of infections in the facilities — and lately a decrease in deaths as well.

For the week of Jan. 27- Feb. 2, there were 101 new infections among nursing residents and 35 deaths. Both totals are the lowest in months, since the state has been mired in a long second wave of the virus.

Last week, the state recorded 166 new cases and 66 deaths among nursing home residents. When vaccinations started in late December, the state was averaging over 100 deaths a week.

There were only four facilities that recorded multiple deaths this week, and two — the Mansfield Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation and the Masonicare facility in Wallingford — recorded four each.

Cases also have been decreasing among nursing home staff.

This week, there were 87 new infections. Last week, there were 153.

State officials and providers believe the declining numbers are evidence the vaccine is effective.

“We are far enough into the nursing home vaccination program that clearly there is significant benefit that is starting to come through,” state Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said during Gov. Ned Lamont’s Thursday press conference.

“I do think we started to see a trending down before that point, though, so I think there is shared causality between both the hard work of our nursing homes staffs and the team at DPH, all the work in infection control, but now as we are well beyond two weeks after — certainly many got their first doses, and many have gotten their second dose as well — clearly there is protection coming from vaccines at this point.”

The virus has had a devastating impact on nursing home residents. The state has had nearly 3,900 deaths since March. The long-term care deaths have accounted for almost 70% of the state’s total COVID-related deaths.

The third round of vaccinations has already started in some facilities, even as others wrap up their second rounds of shots. Officials expect to finish administering all of the vaccinations in long-term care settings, which also includes assisted living facilities, by the end of February.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Altimari does in-depth investigative reporting for CT Mirror. His work focuses on government accountability including financial oversight, abuse of power, corruption, safety monitoring, and compliance with law. Before joining CT Mirror Altimari spent 23 years at the Hartford Courant breaking some of the state’s biggest, most impactful investigative stories.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Restaurants and other business can go back to full capacity on March 19 as Lamont rolls back COVID restrictions in CT
by Mark Pazniokas and Jenna Carlesso

Connecticut will eliminate COVID-19 capacity limits on restaurants, houses of worship, retailers and most businesses on March 19.

1,500 Hartford school staff to be vaccinated this week at pop-up clinic
by Adria Watson

Vaccinations are taking place Thursday and Friday. A second round will be scheduled in coming days.

With billions in federal relief on the way to CT, legislators assert their role in deciding how to spend it
by Keith M. Phaneuf and Mark Pazniokas

With an unusual bill, state legislators are reminding Gov. Ned Lamont they have significant role in disbursing federal coronavirus relief.

Will getting teachers vaccinated get students back in school full time? It might not be that easy
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Kasturi Pananjady and Adria Watson

Districts will have to convince parents and students that in-person learning is safe and that students won't bring COVID-19 home.

Lamont urges patience as residents flood online, phone systems in search of COVID vaccine appointments
by Jenna Carlesso, Mark Pazniokas and Dave Altimari

Residents reported long wait times on the phone, difficulty with online systems and appointments as far out as late April.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The public health bill no one is talking about, but should be
by Brian Festa

On February 16,  the legislature's Public Health Committee conducted a public hearing on two bills, S.B. 568 and H.B. 6423, both of which would eliminate the religious exemption to mandatory vaccinations for Connecticut schoolchildren.  The hearing was capped at 24 hours, depriving nearly 1,500 members of the public who had registered for the hearing their opportunity to be heard.  The vast majority of those who did testify, and who submitted written testimony, opposed the bill.  The committee is expected to vote on the bill as early as  today. 

Opinion Students need more resources, fewer officers
by Tenille Bonilla

"School resource officer" is just a nice way to say cop. But what students really need is more resource and less officer.

Opinion The Board of Regents’ changes must not shortchange its students or faculty
by Carrie Andreoletti, PhD

As a university professor and a lifespan developmental psychologist, I tend to approach my work from a developmental perspective. This means I aim to foster a lifelong love of learning and to help others find a sense of meaning and purpose, as well as confidence in their ability to reach their goals. My approach to higher education is shaped by my desire to provide the best possible education for my students. This is why the recent Board of Regents’ proposed changes at the four state universities have me worried.

Opinion How to close schooling opportunity gaps created by the pandemic
by Carol Gale

We ask school district leaders to trust your public servants whose daily work life involves assessing student needs and planning or modifying instruction to meet those needs. Listen to their voices, as we have, and allocate precious resources on interventions that will offer increased opportunities for Hartford students to succeed.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO