---
[ VOICES ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices)
# Ensuring Long-Term Care Residents and Caregivers are the first Group to Receive COVID Vaccine
December 03 2020
Written by Mark Parkinson & Scott Tittle.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
**VOICES**--Dear Governors:Thank you for your leadership in response to this unprecedented health crisis and the action your administrations have undertaken to help nursing homes and assisted living communities protect our residents and dedicated caregivers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our long term care residents and staff are now counting on your leadership again to ensure they are prioritized for the initial ‘1a’ distribution of the COVID vaccine in your states.
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, applauded the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for including long term care residents and staff, both nursing homes and assisted living communities, for the first round of vaccine distribution.
While this recommendation from the CDC panel of leading health experts is non-binding, we ask that your state public health agencies follow this guidance for distributing the vaccine in your state and take it a step further by ensuring long term care residents and caregivers are the first to receive the vaccine given the anticipated initial limited supply.
Prioritizing long term care residents and staffers for the vaccine is crucial given the fact that more than 100,000 long term care residents have died from this virus in the U.S. and our nursing homes are now [experiencing the worst outbreak of new cases](http://links.ahca.org/u/click?_t=3abc5280edfa42b5905fbea7c0fff5c2&_m=46f39333e4b84f13ba3da3fb1dff1cb2&_e=SYr72F6PA6rRRqIX_6ed-Ct3fDadIXc_L_D_In8ntInKIl_4EOjhTDttiqfAJAs86mWlZ3GpemPuPoJs4rLkGYlFee0BOXeKwGpiH-qdmyq2FCjCe_8dx71Vm_xlrLgm0sr62FZWJXITcEbLooqjMUKwj31UO5Owom7wQJpTmxvw7_AaJgTDCzTz3YiycMnZbpllA1wjBSTHQ4FY86kRZuis8juLu2Q5CpngzijR3JoGUi-PmJ7oSGix2Mf4PB09ezR6ohMx2sorq9OHbSIb0dEgn_cWPr9vEi20JOZ-i7JLFm9enQzeMIbq8B_ZoRmXwVxIrvjo6AtMjgFOVjbjVk5qoH5gzzjSJVZS6TYGhJu6NVz5ND6Xg_5aOMweVdzg) since last spring with more than 2,000 residents succumbing to this virus each week.
Given the asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread of this virus combined with the outbreak of community spread across the U.S., we are extremely hopeful this vaccine will literally be a lifesaver for thousands of residents and expedite the reopening of our facilities to family members and loved ones.
An expediated rollout of the vaccine for our long term care residents and caregivers is vitally important given the level of COVID in our community and in long term care facilities right now. A one-month delay in administering the vaccine at long term care facilities could cost more than 10,000 of our residents their lives. The speed of which states can vaccinate our residents has significant life or death consequences.
The long term care industry, including nursing homes and assisted living communities, urge you to direct your public health agencies to ensure long term care residents and staff are the first group to receive the vaccine within this initial Phase 1a distribution to save as many lives as possible.
We know our collective priority is the wellbeing of our most vulnerable and our health care heroes, and by working together we can protect them through this pandemic.
*(The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 14,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit* [*www.ahcancal.org*](http://www.ahcancal.org/) *or* [*www.ncal.org*](http://www.ncal.org)*.)*
*-cw*
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Website
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on)
### [LAHSA Is Gone, but the Homeless-Industrial-Complex Lives On](https://www.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33444-lahsa-is-gone-but-the-homeless-industrial-complex-lives-on)
HOMELESSNESS - Los Angeles’s homelessness program is in complete disarray, undermined by systemic gridlock, structural…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around)
### [Karen Bass Trails in Reelection Race — Can She Turn It Around?](https://www.citywatchla.com/neighborhood-politics/33434-karen-bass-trails-in-reelection-race-can-she-turn-it-around)
WESTSIDE - As of September 27, 2026, Karen Bass is in a substantially weaker position than she was entering the June pr…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)
### [With National Implications, Corporate Landlords Take Aim at Three Pro-Rent Control Campaigns in California](https://www.citywatchla.com/housing/33413-with-national-implications-corporate-landlords-take-aim-at-three-pro-rent-control-campaigns-in-california)
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords and their high-powered lobbying group, the California Apartment Associat…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab)
### [The Settlement Bill Nobody Is Managing — Inside Los Angeles County's Sheriff Litigation Tab](https://www.citywatchla.com/finance/33442-the-settlement-bill-nobody-is-managing-inside-los-angeles-countys-sheriff-litigation-tab)
THE NAVARRO REPORT - Last month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $12.5 million settlement over t…
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)
### [The Unflinching Daily Horror In The West Bank](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)
THE WEST BANK - More often than not, I find myself at a loss for words to convey Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the rele…
---
## [ VOICES ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33430-pet-peeves-of-a-curmudgeon)### [Pet Peeves of a Curmudgeon](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33430-pet-peeves-of-a-curmudgeon)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)### [The Unflinching Daily Horror In The West Bank](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33431-the-unflinching-daily-horror-in-the-west-bank)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33404-those-nasty-little-stickers-dangers-of-plus-vs-threats-from-electronic-pricing)### [Those Nasty Little Stickers. Dangers of PLUs vs. Threats from Electronic Pricing](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33404-those-nasty-little-stickers-dangers-of-plus-vs-threats-from-electronic-pricing)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33406-burbank-high-parents-raise-concerns-about-safety-discipline-and-school-response)### [Burbank High Parents Raise Concerns About Safety, Discipline and School Response](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33406-burbank-high-parents-raise-concerns-about-safety-discipline-and-school-response)
[  ](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33415-data-centers-why-supporters-and-critics-are-both-right-and-how-la-can-lead)### [Data Centers: Why Supporters and Critics Are Both Right—and How LA Can Lead](https://www.citywatchla.com/voices/33415-data-centers-why-supporters-and-critics-are-both-right-and-how-la-can-lead)