In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors have been essentially the most weak.
The push to get the vaccine out to them has been a high precedence and, on Friday, residents at Belmont Gardens, a licensed private care dwelling, will obtain the primary of the 2 doses that can give them an added layer of safety they want from the virus.
Dr. Dan Edney, who’s a health care provider at Medical Associates of Vicksburg and who has served on the governor’s COVID-19 job pressure, mentioned the vaccines residents might be receiving at Belmont Gardens are separate from these most people has been receiving.
“These vaccines are from the Long Term Care Vaccination Program,” he mentioned, which is a program designed by the Federal Authorities.
“The government contracted with Walgreens and CVS to vaccinate all the nursing homes,” he mentioned. “The government actually assigned a single dose for every nursing home resident and every employee. So the nursing homes have been waiting for those two entities to go and vaccinate the residents.”
The rollout by CVS and Walgreens has not been as speedy as one would have hoped, Edney mentioned. An absence of manpower has slowed distribution.
“They have been using pharmacists who have their state licenses to give the vaccine and there are not that many of them. What they (the government) should have done was like with the flu shot — let the nursing homes have the staff that could have administered the shot give it,” he mentioned. “We should have had the nursing homes vaccinated back in November.”
Whereas there have been delays in vaccinating those that reside in prolonged residing services, Edney mentioned, by Friday, all of the native nursing houses ought to be caught up with their vaccines.
Edney mentioned the nursing dwelling and assisted residing residents at Heritage Home had been vaccinated per week or so in the past.
“We’re getting there,” he mentioned.
About Terri Cowart Frazier
Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the household moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Publish and is the editor of the Vicksburg Dwelling Journal, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Affiliation. She has additionally been the recipient of a First Place award within the MPA’s Higher Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”
Terri graduated from Warren Central Excessive College and Mississippi State College the place she acquired a bachelor’s diploma in communications with an emphasis in public relations.
Previous to coming to work at The Publish a bit greater than 10 years in the past, she did some freelancing on the Jackson Free Press. However for many of her life, she loved being a full-time keep at dwelling mother.
Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a previous member of the Sampler Vintage Membership and City and Nation Backyard Membership. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.
“From staying knowledgeable with native governmental points to listening to the tales of its folks, a hometown newspaper is significant to a group. I’ve felt privileged to be a part of a devoted crew at The Publish all through my tenure and hope that with theirs and with native assist, I can proceed to develop and hone in on my expertise as I assist share the tales in Vicksburg. When requested what I like most about my job, my reply is all the time ‘the people.’
Extra by Terri Cowart
