Allegheny County's Kane Centers to start vaccinating residents, staff next week

Residents and staff in Allegheny County’s Kane Community Living Centers will begin receiving vaccinations next week, officials said Tuesday.

The Kane Centers at Ross and Glen Hazel are the first county facilities scheduled to receive doses of vaccine through a federal partnership with CVS Health. Their two-day clinics are tentatively scheduled for Jan. 4-6. The Scott and McKeesport facilities are to receive doses next Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 9-10.

“The vaccine is going to be good for everyone – patients, staff and family,” said Chief Medical Officer Mario Fatigati. “For us, we’re hopeful it’s going to usher in a new era.”

Vaccinations began in Pennsylvania’s long-term care facilities on Monday, with more than 120 skilled nursing facilities expected to receive doses this week. The state is receiving these doses through a partnership between the federal government, CVS and Walgreens. All of Allegheny County’s Kane Centers will be working with CVS, officials said.

CVS team members have scheduled clinic dates for all four of the county-run nursing homes. On the designated dates, the team members will visit the facility, deliver doses and administer vaccine to residents and staff who have opted in. Staff members who are contracted – including therapists or specialists who regularly enter buildings – will have the opportunity to be vaccinated.

“I’m hoping it’s as effective as everyone says and it allows us to get back to where we were a year ago,” said Dennis Biondo, director of the centers. “That is where residents and family members can be visiting inside the facility…we’re very hopeful we’ll be able to do that.”

All four Kane facilities have had covid cases in the last 10 months. Glen Hazel was the first to experience an outbreak in late March, with at least 76 positive cases by May. Months later, 78 residents tested positive in the Scott facility in October, and most recently, the Kane Center in Ross has 11 positive cases, and has had six deaths, Biondo said. Twenty-eight Ross residents have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the county website.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to get the vaccine,” said Fatigati. “We remain very diligent in screening our staff and patients, but with the numbers growing, this is always a daunting task.”

“We’re just hopeful that with the vaccine, it will make these outbreaks less devastating,” he said.

About 710 residents and 930 workers across all centers could be vaccinated, officials said.

Biondo said facilities are collecting consent forms and determining which residents have opted to be vaccinated. He said between 67 and 69% of staff members have opted for the vaccine, which is not mandatory – he’s hoping to bring the percentage closer to 80 or 90%.

“We have had staff members indicate, at least initially, that they’d be inclined not to receive it,” Biondo said. “We will continue our efforts to convince staff that they should be receiving it.”

Facilities haven’t received any specific guidance, yet, on how to isolate or care for residents who do not wish to be vaccinated. But Biondo said that even with the vaccine, workers in the facilities will continue with precautions that have been in place the last 10 months.