Overcoming objections

At least three of the six nursing homes with the highest vaccination rates recorded among staff had already imposed COVID-19 immunization mandates.

But even among those that had, administrators say they worked extensively with employees to understand concerns and break down myths about the vaccine.

Jason Yarbrough, an infection prevention nurse at Chestelm, a family-owned facility, said staff members encouraged one another to get the shot.

“When they announced the vaccines, I went around and talked to everyone to get their thoughts. We were at about 45% [of staff ] who were going to get it,” he said. “And then we did a lot of education. We had a whiteboard. We had posters. We made a brochure going over what the vaccines are, how they work, what an MRNA vaccine is. We put it out there in plain and simple terms and really spent a lot of time educating, doing one-on-ones.”

By the time the first clinic was held, 83% of staff decided to get a shot. By the second clinic, 93% were participating, Yarbrough said. The nursing home also held a raffle and offered other incentives.

Chestelm eventually imposed a vaccine mandate, but the majority of staff had already been inoculated. Yarbrough estimated that the facility lost “a handful of people” who refused to get the shot.

Manchester Manor doesn’t have a vaccine mandate, but owner Paul Liistro also credited education for driving up immunization rates among staff.

“Whenever we hear an objection, we go research it,” he said. One of the most common concerns raised was about fertility. Liistro said administrators would do research and share information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies dispelling misconceptions.

Management also tried handing out cash incentives of $150 per person to get vaccinated, but only two workers took them up on the offer.

“We thought that people would respond immediately, and they didn’t,” he said. “Education is really what the secret has been.”

Although he hasn’t imposed a mandate for current staff, Liistro is requiring any new workers hired to be immunized.

At Suffield House, administrators made the vaccine a condition of employment in February. But they also pointed to education and emotional support as key factors in their high participation rate.

“We did a lot of education. We answered questions and gave the staff plenty of information about it. That was the biggie,” said owner Carrie Riccio. “They just needed a lot of support emotionally and educationally.”.