Florida Nursing Communities: A Real-Time Test for COVID Vaccine Immunity

The Seattle Times reports that COVID-19 cases among residents of Florida nursing and assisted living communities have plummeted 90 percent since January, with senior advocate organizations monitoring new case numbers and hospitalizations to gauge the duration of vaccine immunity. Brian Lee, director of the nonprofit Families for Better Care, is concerned that health officials are not paying close enough attention to the senior population. He noted that the Florida Department of Health has, as of press time, not updated the number of cases and deaths among long-term community residents and staff on its public-facing dashboard since May 5. For the time being, the Florida Health Care Association said it is pushing to get all residents and staff vaccinated with the two doses they need for initial immunity. About 74 percent of nursing community residents are vaccinated, up from 68 percent six weeks earlier, while the vaccinated assisted living resident segment remains the same at about 93 percent. "All of us are pleasantly surprised at how effective the vaccines have been," said Florida AARP Director Jeff Johnson. "But if there becomes a need for a booster, I think we are going to see it first in those who were first vaccinated and most vulnerable. No one seems to be focused on planning for when that happens."