Delayed COVID-19 Vaccination and Documentation Failures During Outbreak
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner to eligible residents, specifically two residents who subsequently contracted COVID-19. One resident reported being asked about receiving the vaccine approximately a month prior but had not received it despite expressing a desire to be vaccinated. Another resident's family member stated they had repeatedly requested the vaccine for the resident, but no consent or declination form was provided, and the vaccine was not administered. The family member also reported a lack of communication from the facility during a COVID-19 outbreak, leading them to contact the health department for information. Staff interviews revealed that vaccines were not administered because the primary physician recommended waiting until residents were off isolation, and the facility did not have COVID-19 vaccines on hand due to unavailability from the pharmacy. Documentation showed that one resident was offered and received the vaccine, while another had only been asked about it but had not received it. The facility was unable to provide vaccination or declination documentation for one resident. The COVID-19 outbreak began before vaccines were available at the facility, and staff reported that a significant portion of the building had been offered the vaccine only after the outbreak had started.