Hope is on the Horizon After Treating Over 500 COVID-19 Positive Patients
LYNN, MA- February 4, 2021: All Care VNA & Hospice received the first doses of the Moderna vaccine from the Department of Public Health this week. They are offering an in-house clinic at its Lynn headquarters for their employees including direct care and administrative staff. This is in accordance with the Massachusetts’ three-phase vaccination distribution plan, all health care workers including home-based health care workers, and non-COVID-facing health care workers are now eligible to receive the vaccine. This is the last group to receive the vaccine in Phase 1.
Facilities who planned to vaccinate more than 200 individuals could apply to the state to request the vaccine. “We applied at the beginning of January to administer the vaccine on-site to our employees. We were so happy to get the notification that we would be receiving an allotment of the vaccine on February 2nd” said MaryEllen Dawley.
Maureen Collier, Clinical Director and Mary Ellen Dawley, Director of Quality Improvement, spear-headed the coordination of the vaccine program. Following DPH guidelines they transformed the large first floor conference room into a working vaccine clinic, set up safe storage for the vaccine and trained staff in administration and data collection for the state.
All Care received 300 doses of the Moderna vaccine that they are administering over the next week. They will be distributing the second dose of the vaccine in early March.
Over the past year, All Care has cared for over 500 COVID-19 positive patients and the front-line staff have been in direct contact with numerous COVID-19 positive family members.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to our employees. Our front-line nurses, therapists, social workers, chaplains, and home care aides are delivering essential care in the community and are in and out of many patient’s homes daily” said All Care’s Senior Vice President of Operations Jo Mary Koopman, RN, BSN, MBA.
Vaccines are an important step in the fight against COVID-10 and All Care is committed to ensuring their staff are vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Knowing that our staff will be protected with the vaccine gives us a sense of relief”, Koopman said.
All Care COVID-19 vaccine clinic for employees
Linda Willyard, RN vaccinates ACR’s Ijeoma
Maureen Collier & Mary Ellen Dawley spearheaded the coordination of the clinic