More than 70 percent of staff in U.S. nursing homes had not received a COVID-19 booster as of late January, and 40 percent of the residents hadn't gotten the shots, AARP reported Feb. 17.
The new AARP analysis, which reflects COVID-19 nursing home data between Dec. 27 and Jan. 23, shows low booster rates nationwide. In Arizona and Nevada, for instance, less than 40 percent of nursing home residents had received a booster. In eight states, fewer than 20 percent of staff had received the shot.
"It’s very concerning," stated Susan Reinhard, AARP senior vice president and director of the AARP Public Policy Institute. "Those booster rates are just way too low for such a vulnerable population who really need this extra protection."