Vaccine rollout in Huntley
Amanda Underwood Heritage Woods & White Oaks
HUNTLEY – For residents of Heritage Woods and White Oaks in Huntley, January 23 represents a critically significant day they’ve prepared for over the past few weeks. Not only for residents of the assisted living and memory care community but their family members and team members have received information about the COVID-19 vaccine, its importance and what to expect the day of the vaccination. Megan Benzel, administrator at Heritage Woods and White Oaks advised residents to talk to their physician or nurse practitioner prior to receiving the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
“We have been educating them on the process and timeline all along and while they are anxious to have the vaccine, they understand that we are doing all we can to secure our vaccine allotment as quickly as possible,” Benzel said.
As a pharmacy partner in the COVID vaccine for Heritage Woods and White Oaks, Walgreens pharmacy team members will come out on January 23 for the first clinic in the multipurpose room and provide COVID-19 vaccinations to residents and employees in an all-day event. This off-site visit is all part of Walgreens efforts to expand vaccinations at long-term care facilities.
“Residents who need assistance getting down to the clinic will be escorted by our team members and any resident who is unable to leave their apartment will have the vaccination given by a Walgreens team member inside their apartment,” Benzel explained. After residents receive the vaccine, they will be monitored for 20 minutes for a possible reaction to their first dose.
“We have a personalized button maker where residents and staff can decorate their own button to wear that shows their pride in getting vaccinated,” Benzel said.
After receiving the first dose, Heritage Woods and White Oaks residents will again see the Walgreens COVID-19 team return on February 13 for the second clinic.
“If new employees or residents have come in between January 23 and February 13, they will receive their first doses and then their second dose will come during a clinic on March 6,” Benzel said. “I have only heard one resident state that he might ‘wait and see’ how it goes before he decides. If that is the case and he wants to do that, he will still have an opportunity to have his vaccinations on February 13 and March 6.”
She doesn’t have an exact percentage of those willing to get the vaccine “but so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive and the residents are excited to receive their vaccinations,” Benzel added.
Asked whether residents took her advice a few weeks ago and sought out advice from their doctors about the vaccine, Benzel noted that “Some of our residents have discussed the vaccine with their physician or nurse practitioner and have all been encouraged to receive this.”
