CDC Panel Votes to Include Assisted Living Workers, Residents in First Phase of COVID-19 Vaccination

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel is recommending that workers and residents of long-term care facilities, such as assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities, should be among the first people to receive a Covid-19 vaccine when it’s available.

ASHA President David Schless said the organization supports the prioritization strategy, and appreciates the complexity associated with doing so.

“We are encouraged that the committee recognizes the front-line position our industry’s staff members have served during this pandemic and the disproportionate impact of this virus on seniors in our communities,” Schless said in a statement. “However, we must continue to be vigilant to ensure that all senior living communities have prioritized access to the vaccine as supplies become available.”

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