Wisconsin AARP Calling on Nursing Homes to Require COVID-19 Booster Shots for Staff and Residents

Monday, January 24th, 2022 -- 12:00 PM

(WMTV) AARP Wisconsin is calling on nursing homes to require COVID-19 booster shots for residents and staff as the Omicron variant spreads through the nation.

The agency, which represents over 820,000 people ages 50 and older, cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which indicates more than 120,000 new COVID-19 cases among nursing home staff. This includes 2,358 cases in Wisconsin, which is as many as the December 2020 spike.

“The COVID-19 virus has demonstrated repeatedly that it is very dynamic,” AARP stated. “The rapid spread of the Omicron variant over the past weeks poses a significant risk for residents and staff of nursing homes who have not been boosted. For their sake, we must act now and make the delivery of booster shots to nursing home residents and staff our highest priority.”

Being fully vaccinated against the virus without a booster is no longer protecting nursing home residents from becoming infected with COVID-19, AARP continued, but getting one will protect against severe illness and death.

The CDC also reports the rate of new infections for nursing home residents who received a booster is over 90% lower than the rate among residents who are not fully vaccinated, or those who are vaccinated without an additional booster dose.

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