Families Eager for Vaccines in Nursing Homes

Tv dot com.

We want to turn our attention to the cornavirus pandemic now.

Since the start of the pandemic more than 14-hundred nursing home residents in alabama have died from covid-19.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Nursing homes may start receiving pfizer's vaccine by the end of this month.

It's through a federal partnership with three pharmacies.

They include walgreens... c- v-s... and senior care.

Waay 31's megan reyna spoke a family egar to get their loved one vaccinated.

Nats curtians open this right here... nats has been debby jennings reality... nats for the past 9 months.

Jennings say:"we have to see her through the window."

Nats:"i love you... i love you mama" jennings says:"you know i just can't go in and hug her and love her and just show her how much i love her and wish i was there with her."

Her 86-year-old mother has dementia and has been at barfield health care for two years.

Jennings says:"one of us was here every day when we could go in to make sure she's eating, and just being there."

Even if it's through a window -- she keeps showing up for her mother.

Nats:"she is the best mom."

For a long time it'd seemed like she would never be able to physically touch her mother like before.

However -- in a matter of weeks -- her mother is set to recieve the covid-19 vaccine.

Jennings says:"after that, and after the second vaccine there's hope that we can go into her room and shower her love and just make up for 9 months we haven't been able to do that."

Granddaughter and i-c-u nurse kasey jennings is confident in her families decision.

In fact -- she was just vaccinated with a first dose on thursday.

Kasey says: "when i got the vaccine, i did not even feel it, um, i'm about 36 hours out, i'm a little achy today, not terribly and my arm is sore and that is all."

Kasey admits she had some reservations about it initially.

But seeing first-hand how deadly and devastating the virus can be... she chose to trust the science.

The decision was not just about her -- but for her family.

Kasey says:"i haven't kissed my child since march, kissed him on the top of the head and hug him, but you know, you know, it's just this hesitancy of am i carrying it and just don't know it?"

The jennings are now looking forward to that day when they can be together -- without those hesitations.

Nats:"i love you" megan says:"here at barfield health care they hope to start administering the vaccines the first few weeks of january.

Consent forms have already been sent out.

Reporting in guntersville... mr waay 31 news."

Today - we learned more about coronavirus among the elderly from the white house coronavirus task force.

For those over 70 who contract the virus - 20 percent will need to be