On Wednesday, January 3, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra met virtually with long-term care facility (LTCF) leaders to express concerns about low vaccination rates among nursing home residents and remind industry leaders of their obligations to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents and staff. Today’s conversation was a follow-up call from a previous HHS virtual meeting on December 21 with LTCF leaders to discuss the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) December 2023 report finding that just 33% of long-term care facility residents were up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all nursing homes to offer COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff and educate them on their benefits.
