The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the vaccine for COVID-19. As senior care providers, all of LifeSpire of Virginia’s communities are on the list to be one of the first areas serviced by CVS and Walgreens clinics to vaccinate residents and team members through a federal partnership. There is still information pending from the Virginia Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but LifeSpire of Virginia’s leadership team wanted to provide some direction.
First and foremost, the choice is up to each individual if they want to receive the vaccine. The FDA fact sheet will be included with the consent forms so everyone can make an informed decision. After consultation with many medical professionals, regulatory agencies, LifeSpire of Virginia’s community medical directors and nursing professionals, the leadership teams strongly recommends that all residents and team members receive the vaccination.
Each LifeSpire of Virginia community team will be developing a schedule for all team members and residents to receive the vaccination and will follow up with the next steps for vaccination administration.
All LifeSpire of Virginia communities were given the choice to opt-out of the federal administration program. Doing so likely would have led to difficulties procuring the vaccination. Within the federal administration program, team members and residents should expect insurance providers to be billed for these services. Also, the federal program will provide pharmacy team members to administer, track and report all the data required by the FDA and other regulatory bodies.
Though the vaccine is approved, LifeSpire of Virginia communities will still need to monitor infection rates, screen visitors and operate much like it has been for some time meaning community life will not return to normal immediately.