As part of Phase 1A, the Oregon Health Authority said that the first vaccines will go to every hospital in Oregon, as well as emergency medical service providers and long-term care facilities.
The general public has access to them.
With nursing home residents and caretakers included in phase 1-a of vaccine distribution -- we wanted to know how that process will look for them*specifically.
Kezi 9 news reporter kennedy dendy spoke with a couple of senior living communities in our area -- to see what they're planning for -- in the days to come.
Health officials say that long-term care facilities make up 44*percent of all active outbreaks in lane county--and 4 out of 5 deaths.
As multiple spots in our area are battling high case counts that continue to rise, i spoke to the founder and ceo of one facility--who hasn't seen a single case among residents yet.
Fee: "it's a big responsibility and we took it that way."
That's right--out of 260 residents at the springs at greer gardens--a senior living community in eugene,*none have tested positive for covid-19.
And out of 152 staff members, there's been 3 positive cases.
Fee: "we're not falling asleep here.
We're gonna keep defending our border as in our communities to keep covid out the best we can, until we get that vaccine."
Bridge: for the springs at greer gardens in eugene hey've been conducting surface testing since may with with a company called eviraltech.
And with the vaccine on the horizon, stubblefield says if all staff and residents get vaccinated---that could change everything--but it will be voluntary.
Fee: "we could see our staff be vaccinated within the first round in the next week or two."
We spoke to someone who works at compass senior living in eugene.
Compass doesn't have any covid-19 cases at the moment-but o-h-a reports 13 deaths among their evergreen memory care facility in eugene.
Amira: "the more people who can get vaccinated, the less it will be transmitted."
To date, the oregon health authority reports 524 deaths tied to congregate care settings across oregon.
Reporting in eugene kennedy dendy kezi 9 news.
Nursing homes and senior living facilities are finally getting some relief. Vaccines are on the horizon for places like McCrite..
