State officials are urging residents and workers at long-term care facilities to be patient as the second round of vaccines continues to be distributed.While long-term care residents and workers were some of the first people to get the COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials said Wednesday that doesn’t mean life at those facilities will immediately change.As many long-term care facilities are well into their second round of COVID-19 vaccines, many are wondering when life can start to return to normal. State health officials said that while many indicators are looking up, those residents need to stay patient.”It’s going to be great when we get there,” said deputy state epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot. “We don’t have any of that clear guidance yet. I really do envision some pretty radical change to our guidance eventually. We’re getting closer, but we’re not there yet.”Long-term care providers asked state health experts when they can resume things such as normal dining or normal visits from vaccinated people to vaccinated residents.According to the New Hampshire Health Care Association, about 20,000 residents and long-term care workers have been vaccinated so far through the pharmacy partnership program.Brendan Williams, president of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, said about 40% of those workers declined the vaccine at first, but he sees that changing as second doses continue.”I think they wanted to see how the experience went for their coworkers, and they were hesitant to get vaccinated,” Williams said. “So, they chose to get their first shot when their colleagues were getting their second shot.”Officials said that while many of the workers and residents will soon be fully vaccinated, for now, many restrictions still apply.”Even on these calls and other calls, we have repeatedly stressed that even if somebody is fully vaccinated, that is not a free pass to travel,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist.Chan said travel guidance is likely to remain in place for a while as health officials learn more about the new strains of COVID-19 that are circulating.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
State officials are urging residents and workers at long-term care facilities to be patient as the second round of vaccines continues to be distributed.
While long-term care residents and workers were some of the first people to get the COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials said Wednesday that doesn’t mean life at those facilities will immediately change.
As many long-term care facilities are well into their second round of COVID-19 vaccines, many are wondering when life can start to return to normal. State health officials said that while many indicators are looking up, those residents need to stay patient.
“It’s going to be great when we get there,” said deputy state epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot. “We don’t have any of that clear guidance yet. I really do envision some pretty radical change to our guidance eventually. We’re getting closer, but we’re not there yet.”
Long-term care providers asked state health experts when they can resume things such as normal dining or normal visits from vaccinated people to vaccinated residents.
According to the New Hampshire Health Care Association, about 20,000 residents and long-term care workers have been vaccinated so far through the pharmacy partnership program.
Brendan Williams, president of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, said about 40% of those workers declined the vaccine at first, but he sees that changing as second doses continue.
“I think they wanted to see how the experience went for their coworkers, and they were hesitant to get vaccinated,” Williams said. “So, they chose to get their first shot when their colleagues were getting their second shot.”
Officials said that while many of the workers and residents will soon be fully vaccinated, for now, many restrictions still apply.
“Even on these calls and other calls, we have repeatedly stressed that even if somebody is fully vaccinated, that is not a free pass to travel,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist.
Chan said travel guidance is likely to remain in place for a while as health officials learn more about the new strains of COVID-19 that are circulating.