COVID-19 Health Alert – Lenbrook Associates
January 6, 2021Dear Associates:
Thank you for everything you do to keep Lenbrook residents and your coworkers safe and healthy. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is an important step to help prevent getting sick with COVID-19 disease. We care about your health and you are on the front lines. Healthcare personnel and other essential workers like you are among the first to receive the vaccine because of your essential role in fighting this pandemic. Lenbrook is proud to be able to offer a vaccination clinic to all of our associates as a benefit – regardless of position. Getting vaccinated now could help protect you and the residents you care for and who are at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This is also an opportunity for you to serve as a role model in our community. By getting vaccinated first, you have a greater chance of staying healthy.
To offer convenient access to the vaccine, we have partnered with Walgreens Pharmacy to provide on-site COVID-19 vaccination clinics for residents and associates free of charge. This includes full-time, part-time and prn associates. This also includes our contracted team members employed by Eagle Valet, Morrison Living, Heritage Rehab and NIFS. This is a two-dose vaccine and vaccine clinics for initial doses will be held on Thurs., Jan 14th and Thurs., Jan 28th. If you are interested in receiving the vaccine, please complete the attached Walgreens Consent Form (section A1, sign on A2, and section C) and return it to your manager by Friday, January 8th. Once your paperwork is processed, you will be contacted about your vaccine appointment date and time. After you receive your first dose, you will be contacted at a later date to schedule your second dose. The second dose is given approximately 21 days after your first dose. If you are not present for the on-site vaccination clinics, you may choose to get vaccinated by another COVID-19 vaccination provider your area, if it is available to you.
We understand you may have questions about the vaccine. Per CDC.gov, COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same safety standards as all other vaccines. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site, fever, and chills. These side effects tend to COVID-19 Health Alert – Jan. 6, 2021 be mild to moderate and go away on their own within 1–2 days. With this letter, please also find a Frequently Asked Questions informational sheet about the vaccine.
Per our existing practices, please call your manager if you are not feeling well.
In addition, we are encouraging associates who have a smartphone to enroll in v-safe, a tool that can be used to tell the CDC if someone has any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. If you report serious side effects, someone from CDC will call to follow up.
COVID-19 vaccines are an important tool to help stop the pandemic. After vaccination, everyone in the community should continue to follow all the current guidance to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, following community guidance on visitation and infection control, and cleaning hands often.
Thank you again for all you are doing to keep our residents and team members safe and healthy. We want you to feel confident in your decision about getting vaccinated. We welcome any questions you may have. It is important that you discuss your specific questions and concerns about your health situation with your health care provider.
If you have questions about the vaccine clinics or the information being provided to you, please contact your manager or the following designated vaccine education ambassador.
For Health Care team members: John Clark, RN ext. 2426.
For Assisted Living team members: Valerie Ward-Bobbett, LPN ext. 2457
For all other associates: Jessica Whitten, RN, MSN, FNP ext. 2754
Sincerely,
Nettie Thrash, RN
Vice President, Health Service