COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics Progressing and Staff Vaccination Rates Improving

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Jeff Bostic

According to data collected by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), resident vaccination rates remain high and staff vaccination rates are improving.

The MDH has begun sharing with LeadingAge Minnesota weekly updates of the results of their COVID-19 vaccination survey, as well as results specific to LeadingAge Minnesota members. As of last week, MDH had responses from 89% of care centers and 48% of assisted living providers; thanks to all the providers taking time to submit their information at a busy time.

In the most recent update from MDH, first dose staff vaccination rates were 55% in all reporting care centers and 43% in all reporting assisted living settings. The discrepancy is due to most care centers having completed their second clinic while assisted living providers are just completing their first. The data indicates that some care center staff who did not participate in the first round of vaccination clinics are deciding to be vaccinated when given a second opportunity, and the assisted living staff vaccination rate will hopefully rise in coming weeks as well. Resident vaccination rates have been high in both settings, with more than 85% having received a first dose.

The overall LeadingAge Minnesota staff and resident vaccination rates match almost exactly the statewide rates in the MDH report on all providers. One unexplained finding is that the all provider data shows staff first dose vaccination rates are lowest in the metro area (42% for care center and 32% for assisted living), while the LeadingAge member data shows the opposite, with the metro area leading the rest of the state at 62% in care centers and 48% in assisted living. Those numbers indicate that either there is some issue with the calculation of the regional rates in the MDH all provider data, or that for some reason the LeadingAge membership is a mirror image of other providers in the state.

MDH is planning to update the vaccination survey to include questions on what providers plan to do for vaccinating new staff and residents after the third clinics have wrapped up at their sites. At this point, it appears that most providers do not have a solution for that situation, and with that time rapidly approaching, particularly for care centers, LeadingAge Minnesota will be working with MDH to be sure there is an effective statewide response.