Vaccines begin at La. veterans home
Published 4:40 am Thursday, December 31, 2020
Doris Maricle
JENNINGS – Residents and staff at the five state-run veterans homes throughout Louisiana, including the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, have begun receiving the first wave of COVID-19 vaccines.
Brandee Patrick, communications director for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, said Tuesday that the first doses of the vaccines were made available Monday to residents and staff at veterans homes in Jennings and Monroe.
“We are so very grateful to Governor (John Bel) Edwards for making the veteran homes a priority in the distribution of the Moderna vaccine,” Patrick said. “Our five homes will be some of the first in the state in terms of long-term care facilities to host vaccination clinics. This vaccine is yet another tool we can use to combat this virus, and we are extremely hopeful for the future.”
A second vaccination clinic is slated for today at the veterans home in Reserve. A third clinic will be held Saturday at the veterans home in Bossier. A vaccination date is pending at the veterans home in Jackson.
“There will be a total of three vaccination clinics at each home where the vaccine will be offered to both residents and staff,” Patrick said. “At the first clinic, the first dose will be administered. At the second clinic, the second dose will be administered for those who took the first dose at the first clinic. In addition, the first dose will be available for those who did not receive it during the first clinic.”
A third clinic will be held to administer the second dose to those who took the first dose at the second clinic, she said.
All vaccines will be administered on a voluntary basis by CVS and Walgreens, who are partnering with the federal government to administer the vaccines at the five state-run veterans homes.
“The decision to receive a vaccine is the personal choice of each resident and staff member,” Patrick said. “Governor Edwards and Secretary (Joey) Strickland strongly encourage and recommend that each person who lives and works at our homes receive it.
“We understand there are some concerns about the vaccine developed during this unprecedented pandemic. We are hopeful that as the vaccine is distributed throughout Louisiana that we will see high participation in our homes.”
Patrick said the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs has received “strong interest,” especially from the residents and their families regarding receiving the vaccine.
“We will continue to offer any and all information on the vaccine from our federal and state partners including our Office of Public Health to our residents and staff to educate them and answer any questions they may have,” she said.
Even with the vaccinations, veteran officials are uncertain when the state will be able to ease restrictions for visitation at the veterans homes or loosen safety protocols.
“While we remain hopeful that one day soon, we can return to our previous “normal,” we must continue to follow the guidance from the CDC, CMS, the Louisiana Department of Health and the Office of Public Health,” she said. “As it has been throughout the pandemic, our priority is to offer the highest level of care to our veterans. We will continue to offer in-person, outdoor visitation in keeping with the current visitation guidance as well as offering electronic visitation via iPads in the homes.”
The state’s veterans’ homes have lost 80 veterans to COVID-19 since March, including five who died at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings after contracting the disease.
While staff have been affected by COVID-19, no deaths have been reported and the homes have continued to meet nursing requirements with staff shortages. Staff from a sister home have traveled to help other homes and support from federal VA partners have kept the home functioning.
Special to the American Press
