Many of Connecticut’s nursing homes are embracing a new, mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy that will penalize them financially if their staff doesn’t receive shots.
Late Friday, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) announced long-term care employees and vendors will have until Sept. 7 to get at least one dose of a vaccine, or their communities could be docked $20,000 per day in civil penalties.
In his announcement, the governor said, “it would be absolutely irresponsible for anyone working in a long-term care facility to not receive this protection that could prevent widespread infection among those who are most vulnerable from dying of this communicable disease.”
By instituting an across-the-board mandate, he may be taking pressure off operators who feared a mandate would lead to job losses if frontline workers jumped to employers without vaccination requirements.
Matt Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities and the Connecticut Center for Assisted Living, said providers are lining up behind the policy.
“When implemented on a wide scale, the staff vaccine mandate will provide maximum protection for all residents, staff and others in our communities from the known and substantial risks of COVID-19,” Barrett said in a statement. While the executive order covers skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, managed residential communities and chronic disease hospitals, Barrett called for an even broader approach that also encompasses home health and hospital workers.
Even as they accept the threat of massive financial penalties, the state’s providers are looking for more clarity about how exactly they can comply with the state order.
“As it stands, it appears we are obligated to (reach) 100% vaccination among employees and vendors and are looking at how to handle new hires and ancillary service providers in order to comply,” said David Skoczulek, vice president of development for iCare Health Network, operator of 12 Connecuticut skilled nursing facilities.
He agreed the mandate could be welcome news if it alleviates disparities from facility to facility.
“I believe it will give employees, residents and families a level field and peace of mind when picking a skilled nursing care center at which to work or receive care,” he told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on Monday.
iCare Health Network’s skilled nursing facilities have staff vaccination rates between 70% and 75%, he said.
Gov. Lamont’s Friday order noted that about 55% of all nursing homes statewide have a staff vaccination rate of lower than 75%, and just 21% of nursing homes in the state have a staff vaccination rate higher than 85%.
The state, along with several others, recently began experiencing a new, “significant” round of COVID-19 cases among nursing home staff and residents. Lamont cited 51 resident cases in the past three weeks, a sharp increase compared to six cases reported over the prior three-week period. There have also been several deaths in recent weeks of residents who tested positive for COVID-19, which followed a period of seven consecutive weeks without a COVID-19 death.
“As the most effective tool to protect vulnerable older adults from the virus, we have been encouraging and working toward the widespread acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccination for all staff in healthcare, senior care and senior living communities,” added Mag Morelli, president of LeadingAge Connecticut. “We will continue to work in partnership with the state Department of Public Health to implement this new executive order and assist our member communities in coming into compliance.”
