As the COVID-19 vaccines are currently being rolled out to the general public, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is making sure that the nation’s most vulnerable population — senior citizens — are vaccinated first. The CDC says that those who are 85 years old or older are at the highest risk to develop severe COVID-19-related illnesses or death, including being placed in intensive care on a ventilator.
As the CDC points out, the higher the age range, the greater the possibility of hospitalization or death. Those who are 65-74 years old are five times more likely to be hospitalized and 90 times more likely to die from the virus than those between 18 and 29 years old. For older people between the ages of 75 to 84, they are eight times more likely to wind up in the hospital and they are 220 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than their younger counterparts.
The CDC estimates that 3 million nursing home and assisted living facility residents will require a vaccination due to their living in closed quarters, as well as their age and their health. Most states are rolling out plans that make sure the oldest are vaccinated before the second half of 2021. Those who receive the “frontrunner” vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer will have to get a second dose a few weeks later.
According to the Pew Research Center, 55% of those between 50 and 64 years old and 63% of those 65 and older said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about getting a serious case of COVID-19. When asked if they would be vaccinated, 60% of the 50-64 age group and 75% of those 65 and older said they would.
Moncef Slaoui, a chief scientific adviser to Operation Warp Speed, is worried that not everyone will want to take the vaccine. Dr. Slaoui said the vaccines will be “useless” if no one decides to get the shot.
McPeak’s Assisted Living provides care for your loved ones while ensuring they maintain a happy, healthy, and fulfilling lifestyle, right here in Suffolk County, Long Island, near downtown Patchogue. We offer art and music classes for our residents, as well as fun games and activities to keep them active. In addition, our facility adheres to strict CDC and New York State Department of Health guidelines and infection control protocols. Since June 2020, McPeak’s has been free of the COVID-19 virus.
We provide particular attention to residents with cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. With our affordable prices and excellent standard of care, we have the facilities to accommodate your loved one’s needs and allow them to live life to the fullest. For more information, please call us at (631) 475-0445 or visit our contact page.
RESOURCES:
https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-vaccine-distribution.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/17/us/coronavirus-vaccines-nursing-homes.html
