Kansas State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Camille Russell, Comments on Nursing Home Staff Vaccination Rates

August 09, 2021

Kansas State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Camille Russell, shares residents’ concerns in the Kansas Reflector regarding the 44% vaccination rate of nursing home staff. As the delta variant continues to threaten infections in the population, residents are fearing getting put in isolation and facilities are debating whether to make vaccinations mandatory. There are high rates of residents that are vaccinated but it is discouraging and unfair to see that the staff has not been as urged to do so. Camille shares that the residents are concerned for their rights and well-being because in a nursing home, there are two populations spending close time and space together. However, when there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in the facility, one population, the staff, get to maintain their rights, while the residents living there are restricted of visitors, inclined towards experiencing neglect, and forced into isolation. 

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