Federal health officials pressured nursing home staff to get the booster shot amid a surge in COVID-19 cases among employees and a worrying lag in the booster shot in residents and staff.
The omicron variant “is super fast and we cannot afford another rise in COVID-19 in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a call to the industry broadcast live. “You know it. I know. Higher numbers of COVID cases will likely once again have a devastating impact on our loved ones. “
Nursing homes test President Joe Biden’s claim that America is far better prepared than last winter to deal with a surge in infections.
Although the residents are a small portion of the population, they represent a disproportionate share of Americans who have died in the coronavirus pandemic.
A few months ago, the arrival of the vaccine controlled the virus in the homes for the elderly and allowed them to reopen to visitors. But that return to normalcy could be at stake as the omicron variant causes COVID-19 cases to reach record numbers.
Cases in shelter employees rose to 10,353 in the week ending Dec. 27, an increase of nearly 80% compared to the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among residents, who are more vaccinated, cases increased slightly and the data did not show an increase in deaths.
With medical experts stating that a booster shot is critical to protect against omicron, Becerra said only 57% of nursing home residents and 25% of employees have received the booster. That’s clearly below the booster shot rate of nearly 66% in people 65 and older, and about 45% in the adult population, according to White House data.
“That has to change,” said Becerra.
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