COVID-19 Vaccination for Long-term Care Residents

Vaccine recommendations

• CDC recommends an updated COVID-19 vaccine for most adults ages 18 years and older.
• Parents of children ages 6 months to 17 years should discuss the benefits of vaccination with a healthcare provider.
  • Children ages 6 months–4 years may need more than 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine dose to be up to date.
• CDC recommends an updated COVID-19 vaccine for most adults ages 18 years and older, including people who live and work in long-term care (LTC) settings, get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• CDC recommends everyone ages 65 years and older, including people who live and work in LTC settings, get 2 doses of an updated COVID-19 vaccine 6 months apart.
• People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get at least 2 doses of an updated COVID-19 vaccine 6 months apart. They may also get more age-appropriate doses, beyond two doses at least 2 months apart, after talking to a healthcare provider.
  
  • People can self-confirm as moderately or severely immunocompromised. This means they do NOT need documentation to receive a COVID-19 vaccination they are eligible for.
  • While it is the recommended to get updated COVID-19 vaccine doses 6 months apart, the minimum time is 2 months apart, which allows flexibility to get the second dose prior to typical COVID-19 surges, travel, life events, and healthcare visits.
    

Why the vaccine is important

If you live or work in a long-term care (LTC) setting, you can help protect yourself and the people around you by getting your updated COVID-19 vaccine.

• COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to protect yourself from serious illness, hospitalization, and death caused by COVID-19.
• Older adults and people with certain health conditions are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.

• COVID-19 vaccines can help keep you from getting seriously ill if you do get COVID-19.

If your loved one is not able to ask questions or otherwise communicate with the LTC staff, here’s what to know about consent for getting a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Consent or assent for a COVID-19 vaccine is given by LTC residents (or people appointed to make medical decisions on their behalf, called a medical proxy) and documented in their charts per the provider’s standard practice.

• Residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccine (or their medical proxy) also receive a fact sheet before vaccination. The fact sheet explains the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.

• Some COVID-19 vaccination providers may require written, email, or verbal consent from recipients before getting vaccinated. This is at the provider’s discretion; written consent is not required by federal law for COVID-19 vaccination in the United States.

How to get a COVID-19 vaccine

To make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for you or your family member:

• Talk with the LTC staff about getting vaccinated on site.

• Ask a family member or friend to help you schedule a vaccination appointment if you can’t get vaccinated on site.

• If you have additional questions about how to get a COVID-19 vaccine, talk with your healthcare provider.