Connecticut-based Masonicare was among the first senior living providers to announce a staff COVID-19 vaccine mandate back in December 2020, when vaccines first became available.
So when a staff member tested positive for the virus in July, the provider’s No. 1 priority was to avoid a repeat of 2020.
“We learned so much from last year and had our plan in place,” Masonicare Health Center Administrator Courtney Wood said during a LeadingAge membership call on Wednesday. With different policies and infection control teams in place, Wood said, teams completed testing and cohorting within 24 hours. “We definitely did not want a repeat of 2020. We were very diligent and out there on the floors even more so.”
In the end, the virus was contained to a single dementia care unit in one building. Of the 21 positive cases, 10 were staff member cases with one partially vaccinated and the rest fully vaccinated Thirteen of those people with positive cases have recovered. One hospice patient who was immunocompromised died.
Wood said the provider worked with health department epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure it was doing everything possible to contain the outbreak. The CDC also is testing positive people as part of a study on breakthrough infections to better inform future response efforts.
Based on public health and CDC recommendations, Wood said, the building is doing weekly testing of staff members as well as testing anyone showing symptoms. In the affected unit, residents undergo daily testing.
Although the outbreak was unnerving, Wood said that vaccines changed the narrative from 2020.
“The story last year was I had people immediately put on oxygen, having major difficulties. Some had to be taken to the hospital; some got sick quickly,” Wood said. This time, she added, “It was quite amazing to watch. I didn’t have anyone on oxygen. No one was in desperate need of medical attention constantly.”
Infected residents had flu-like symptoms for a day or two, “but they’re bouncing back,” Wood said. The lesson learned, she added, is that “vaccinations are necessary.” The provider is educating not only staff members but also but family members about the need to remain vigilant and wear a mask.
“Their signs and symptoms are so different,” she said. “”Don’t let your guard down. Vaccines are not an end-all be-all, but definitely something that has helped.”
Vaccine mandate
Wood also addressed the fallout from such an early staff vaccine mandate. Staff members were given until the end of June to get vaccinated.
Working with the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care, Masonicare provided between 90 and 95 vaccine clinics on its campus for staff, residents and patients over six months. The provider continues to work with a local pharmacy to provide vaccinations to new residents and employees.
“We did have a lot of conversations with staff, and we did have some that did leave,” Wood said, adding that 22 employees were let go for refusing vaccination — less than 1%. Another 60 employees across the continuum of care were granted religious or medical exemptions.
“We looked at what we do on a daily basis and wanted to make sure people that work here understand the big impact it would have for our staff to be vaccinated,” she said.
