Santé Prepares for COVID Vaccination to Patients and Staff

We are thrilled to share with you that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer’s request for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine. This is incredible news and something worth celebrating in what has been a challenging year.

As part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, Santé opted to partner with CVS Pharmacy to provide complete management of the COVID-19 vaccination process for patients and staff.

The COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available to all patients and staff. We are moving forward with our plans and will provide additional details soon. There will be no costs to get the vaccine, and you can review the EUA fact sheet here.

We encourage as many patients and staff as possible to get this vaccine. Older adults and those with multiple comorbid conditions have a much higher risk for getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19. The vaccine has been shown to provide a great deal of protection against serious illness due to COVID-19. The more patients and staff that get vaccinated, the better we can protect our community against potential outbreaks and save lives.

This vaccine has gone through testing and clinical trials to ensure it meets the highest safety standards. It also is safe to get if you already had the virus. The health and safety of our patients is always our top priority, and we are confident this vaccine is a much better option than the risk of getting this virus.

And you can rest assured that we will continue to take all necessary precautions after the vaccine is administered, including wearing personal protective equipment and conducting regular testing, to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. We will also work with public health officials to determine how and when to adjust our policies for visitations and social activities and keep you updated.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are hopeful that the vaccine will be a lifesaving turning point in the fight against COVID-19. You may also visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines to learn more about the vaccine.