As Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine makes its way around the U.S., a New Hyde Park nursing home announced it has started to inoculate its residents, patients and staff on Monday, Dec. 21.
The Parker Jewish Institute, which houses around 360 patients and residents, is partnering with Walgreens to administer the vaccine to its residents and those in its care.
“We are extremely optimistic about the vaccine, said Michael N. Rosenblut, the facility’s CEO and president. “We are confident that the vaccine, with its efficacy rate of 95 percent, will mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable population. The COVID-19 vaccine offers a ray of hope in that it may enable families to finally reunite in-person.”
The care facility received around 1,500 doses of the vaccine from Walgreens and will be distributed over the next three days, according to Parker’s public affairs department.
The Parker Jewish Institute, like many other care facilities in New York, had to implement a host of safety guidelines to protect its patients, residents and staff from COVID-19 this year. The facility’s leaders created a nonstop testing operation, provided staff with personal protective equipment and upgraded its generator system to ensure that the power was always on.
The facility was also revamped with ultraviolet lighting and new ventilation and air conditioning units to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Family members of residents or patients who have questions about the vaccine or its distribution can contact Parker’s Family Call Center at 718-289-2888 or at info@parkerinstitute.org.
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