Mass Senior Care Association continues to work with our member long term care facilities to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among residents and staff. Achieving a high rate of resident and staff vaccinations is critical to our fight against COVID-19 and ensuring the safety of our residents and the entire caregiving team. In addition, vaccination rates will be key drivers in rebuilding census and increasing consumer confidence in long term care services. Also, CMS recently released an Interim Final Rule on COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements, which would make a facility’s staff and resident vaccination rates public to consumers.
To assist members in their continued efforts to increase vaccination rates, Mass Senior Care developed the Arming Ourselves Against COVID-19 campaign, which is continuously refreshed with new educational materials about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Mass Senior Care recognizes that the reasons for vaccine hesitancy are real and varied, and we are committed to doing all we can to provide accurate, timely information so people can make informed decisions. There are several strategies that have proven successful in increasing vaccination rates and addressing hesitancy in long term care facilities. Combining several strategies may be more effective than implementing any on their own.