Where nursing home staff vaccinations lag, COVID-19 outbreaks may follow, experts warn

Nationwide vaccination rates among nursing home staff are lagging, and experts are worried that's contributed to dozens of recent outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

When 28 residents in two Rochester, New York, nursing homes tested positive for COVID-19 last month, officials there saw the unexpected outbreak as a stark reminder of the potency of the coronavirus vaccine. While much of the country was lining up for shots, by early May, fewer than 45% of the staff across Rochester Regional Health's skilled nursing facilities was fully vaccinated. Dr. Robert Mayo, chief medical officer of Rochester Regional Health, which operates six senior living facilities in upstate New York, said the outbreaks showed not just the power of the vaccine, but also the risk of forgoing it. "It's an important message that we need to keep sharing, that the vaccine is working, and it's working among the most vulnerable patients," said Mayo, who noted that none of the vaccinated residents had symptoms.