x
Breaking News
More () »

Long-term care facilities eagerly awaiting vaccine arrival

By the end of this month, the state expects they will have vaccines for every long-term care resident.

INDIANAPOLIS — Through this pandemic, no demographic has been affected more than the elderly.

According to state data, more than 77 percent of COVID-19 deaths are people over the age of 70. Of the state’s nearly 5,700 deaths, 3,030 happened inside nursing homes.

So it is crucial they are first in line for vaccinations. By the end of this month, the state expects they will have vaccines for every long-term care resident.

Alan Symons runs Sycamore Reserve, an independent living facility in Castleton. They have about 30 residents between the ages of 57 and 94.

“They deserve it. They have lived a long beautiful life serving America and they deserve to be looked after before COVID takes one of our people,” said Symons.

Symons said independent living facilities have been included in the first wave of vaccinations expected to happen by the end of the year.

The question now is, "How do they pull it off?"

Symons said he was told the vaccines would be given by private companies like CVS and Walgreens. How that looks is still being ironed out.

“Whether they do that with a military truck (that) pulls into our back garden and we all come out and get vaccinated or we go down to a facility they set up, I do not know. Nobody does,” said Symons. “But they will set it up and then we will get a call and our people will then get vaccinated the first time and then we will get the second vaccine and then at that time we will be able to breathe a sigh of relief and say, 'Lets get back to near normal.'”

Before You Leave, Check This Out