New AARP Analysis: Vaccination Rates among Nursing Home Staff in Virginia Increased in Four Weeks Ending October 17

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Vaccination rates among nursing home staff in Virginia increased  as of October 17, according to latest data from AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard, with nearly 79% of staff fully vaccinated.  Nationally, an additional 7% of staff in nursing homes were fully vaccinated as of the same time period, the largest monthly increase since AARP’s dashboard began tracking vaccination rates in June.  It brings the total percentage of staff who are vaccinated to 74% nationwide.  The Biden administration recently released a federal rule requiring that all health care workers in facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid be fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022. 

In Virginia, nursing home resident vaccination rates increased by about 2% in the same time period to a total of nearly 87%.   Nationally, nursing home resident vaccination rates increased by 1% in the same time period to a total of 86% nationwide.

“More than a year and a half into the pandemic, COVID-19 continues its assault on nursing homes,” said AARP Virginia State Director Jim Dau. “Increasing vaccination rates among nursing home residents and staff is key to protecting our loved ones and getting the pandemic under control.”

AARP  serves about 1 million  members age 50 and older in Virginia.

Nursing home resident deaths from coronavirus increased slightly in Virginia from a rate of .23 per 100 residents in mid-September to .24 per 100 in mid-October.  Nationally, death rates remained constant compared to the same time period in AARP’s dashboard, with more than 2,000 nursing home residents dying of COVID-19 for the second consecutive month.

Nationally, the rate of COVID-19 cases declined by one-quarter for residents and one-third for staff.

In Virginia, resident cases decreased from a rate of 2.7 per 100 residents in mid-September to 1.97 per 100 in mid-October.

In Virginia, staff cases decreased from a rate of 2.46 per 100 residents in mid-September to 1.57 per 100 residents in mid-October.

The number of facilities in Virginia reporting a shortage of nurses or aides decreased slightly in the four weeks ending October 17, to 29% from nearly 31% in mid-September.   Nationally, that number increased by 1% over the same time period, reaching 30% – the highest rate reported since CMS began reporting data in spring 2020.  

The AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard analyzes federally reported data in four-week periods going back to June 1, 2020. Using this data, the AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the dashboard to provide snapshots of the virus’ infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home residents and staff, with the goal of identifying specific areas of concern at the national and state levels in a timely manner.

The full Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard is available at www.aarp.org/nursinghomedashboard, and an AARP story about this month’s data is available here. For more information on how coronavirus is impacting nursing homes and AARP’s advocacy on this issue, visit www.aarp.org/nursinghomes. Medicare.gov’s Care Compare website now offers information about vaccination rates within nursing homes and how they compare to state and national averages.

About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.