MDH Expresses Concern Over Long-Term Care Workers and Vaccine Hesitancy

KIMT-TV reports that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says nursing and assisted living community staff are hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19 despite the fact they work with one of the most vulnerable populations. For example, nearly 100 percent of residents at River Bend Assisted Living & Memory Care in Rochester have been vaccinated versus about 68 percent of staff, which is still higher than the state average of 48 percent. River Bend Marketing Director Kim Holst said it is critical to offer employees the option to be inoculated given the fact they are in close contact with this vulnerable demographic every day. "We definitely need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to keep them safe so that we can stay open and so our families can come and visit their loved ones here too," she declared. MDH data shows long-term care residents are immunized at a much higher rate of 80 percent to 90 percent.