Today, Anita Quidangen, a PSW working in LTC, received the first dose of the #CovidVaccine in Ontario.

To ensure the maximum impact of the vaccine, we also need to address the issue of vaccine hesitancy in LTC.

Here are some important considerations...

#COVID19

1/ Vaccinating #LTC staff is critical. We know that the #COVID19 virus spreads when well-meaning presymptomatic or asymptomatic staff enter LTC facilities. If we can protect the staff, we can protect the residents.

2/ Most front-line #LTC staff are women of colour & many are from communities with historical mistrust of health care. We MUST have grassroots community engagement & public health messaging which is science-based, culturally safe & led by front-line health workers & unions.

3/ Even before the #COVID19 pandemic, influenza vaccination rates for staff varied greatly. In Toronto, one #LTC in 2018-2019 had a staff influenza vaccination rate of 9%, and another home had a rate of 99%! The overall median rate of influenza vaccination in Ontario was 73%.

4/ Pay staff for time off to get the vaccine. While #LTC staff have one of the most dangerous jobs during #COVID19, many struggle to pay their rent & visit food banks. They need decent wages, paid sick leave and benefits. It's the right thing to do.

5/ The vaccine doesn’t replace an ongoing failure in #LTC: the need for oversight & accountability for infection control. It’s possible the vaccine prevents symptoms rather than the infection itself. This could increase the chance of asymptomatic spread to vulnerable residents.

6/ If asymptomatic spread is still a concern, shouldn’t we vaccinate all #LTC staff AND their families? Many essential workers take crowded public transit & live in multigenerational households where physical distancing is just not possible.

7/ #LTC residents have weakened immune systems & we shouldn’t expect the same effectiveness as in healthy people. The vaccine hasn't been studied in frail seniors who live in LTC. Do our conversations & consent processes make this clear to residents & substitute decision-makers?

8/ There are clinical ethics related to vaccine administration in #LTC- for example at end of life. Would there be unique situations where we wouldn't administer the vaccine? How would we support a family caregiver if an LTC resident died right after receiving the vaccine?

9/ These are some of the unique concerns to vaccinating #LTC staff & residents. Let’s make sure we include them and family caregivers in all levels of planning, as the #CovidVaccine starts to roll out, to ensure that we make this a success! (END)