BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — As the COVID vaccinations begin to be delivered to Nebraska, residents and staff of long-term care facilities prepare to get vaccinated.
Along with health care workers, long-term care facilities are under Governor Ricketts' phase 1A of the vaccine distribution plan.
Marylynne Bolden, owner of MJ Senior Housing, says the arrival of the vaccine provides hope that they can get back to normal soon.
"It gives them hope that we can one day open those doors again and their families can come in and see them whenever they want to like they used to do. They can give them hugs, it’s been so difficult it’s really hard to explain the challenges, but this vaccine provides hope," Bolden said.
Initially, not all of MJ Senior Housing's facilities were under that phase 1A. Richmont Village Independent Living had been under phase 1B.
"Initially as we understood, how things are prioritized here in Nebraska, health care workers and our senior population, those in long term care communities had priority, and we certainly agreed with that. In Nebraska, independent living is not regulated so it’s not overseen by DHHS. It’s its own facility," Bolden said.
But, she did receive information that the pharmacy did have enough vaccines to cover residents at the independent living facility.
Residents and staff will be vaccinated at the same time, as the pharmacy will go to MJ facilities.
"We’ve been talking at great lengths with our partnering pharmacies and we’re just really excited about this. The earliest we anticipate getting the vaccine would be December 28th so we’re just a little ways out yet but we know that vaccine is coming and we know our pharmacies have them and we’re going to be in good shape to get that to our staff and our residents," Bolden said.
Bolden is hoping that with this vaccine, she can soon tell residents they will be able to hug their loved ones again soon.
