Nursing homes charging ahead to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots

September 28, 2021

Nursing home and assisted living facilities are preparing to roll out COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for their residents and staff, while grappling with an acute labor shortage that’s likely to get worse as a federal vaccine mandate takes effect.

Expressing “how grateful we are that the Biden administration prioritized nursing homes,” Janet Snipes, executive director at Holly Heights Nursing Center in Denver, Colorado, told CBS MoneyWatch that the facility is now working to get individuals’ consent for the boosters. “We’re not completely finished, but we haven’t had anyone decline.” 

Holly Heights began reaching out to residents and their families several weeks ago in anticipation the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approving Pfizer-BioNTech boosters for millions of older or vulnerable Americans, including nursing home residents and those who work at the facilities. Boosters for those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines are expected to be approved in coming weeks.

Read the full article from CBS News here.