by: kevin griffin
a new study aims to identify the reasons covid-19 vaccination rates in fraser health are lower for staff in long-term care homes than the home residents.
the six-month, $128,000
study
is being led by
valorie crooks
, a geography professor at simon fraser university.
“at most facilities there is at least a 10 per cent difference between staff vaccination rates and resident vaccination rates,” crooks said.
everyone “working and living in long term care will benefit from what we’re setting out to do by identifying opportunities to strengthen covid-19 vaccination rates among staff,” she added by email.
“we’d like to hear from people around how they made their decision regarding becoming vaccinated knowing that they’re in this high-risk occupational sector,” she said. “we’re not here to second-guess anyone’s decision.”
the b.c. centre for disease control has said 91 per cent of the province’s 34,217 residents of long-term care and assisted living had been vaccinated for covid-19.
in fraser health, leaving aside figures for the smallest facilities, vaccination rates for residents have varied between 66 per cent and 100 per cent in 85 facilities, she said.
there are about 10,500 staff and 8,500 beds in long-term care in fraser health, one of five health care regions in b.c.