COVID-19 Vaccinations to Get Underway in Pasadena Skilled Nursing Facilities on Monday

Following the continuing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to frontline health care workers, Pasadena skilled nursing facilities are next in line to receive the vaccines, with shots to be administered beginning Monday, officials said.

All but one of the dozens of nursing facilities in Pasadena have signed up to receive vaccines under a federal program that partners with pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens, city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said. 

The Pasadena Public Health Department was coordinating directly with the single facility not taking part in the federal program.

“At this time, the information that we have from the skilled nursing facilities is that the soonest appointment with the federal pharmacy program in Pasadena is Dec. 28,” she said.

“Each facility worked with the pharmacy program coordinator to schedule their initial appointment and the appointment for the second dose of the vaccine,” according to Derderian.

The two FDA-approved vaccines, made by Pfizer and Moderna, both require two shots separated by several weeks.

“The Pasadena Public Health Department continues to work closely with skilled nursing facilities to ensure successful vaccination to these top-priority facilities,” Derderian said.

The rollout of vaccines in nursing facilities began in 13 states last Monday, with the remaining continental U.S. and Washington, D.C. seeing the launch of the program this coming Monday, according to CVS spokeswoman Monica Prinzing.

Officials were optimistic the vaccination process would be concluded in a matter of weeks, Derderian said. The speed of the process was contingent upon vaccine availability.

CVS representatives said the company planned to have its long-term care facility vaccination program completed nationally within 12 weeks.

The initial rollout phase of the vaccines is divided into three categories under guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which have been echoed by California and Pasadena policymakers.

Under Phase 1a, which is already well underway, health care workers are the top priority for vaccination, according to CDC guidelines.

But caution must be exercised in vaccinating medical staff to ensure the continuation of services, Derderian said.

Since some vaccine recipients report generally mild side effects that include feeling ill for a day or so, officials are trying to be careful to spread out vaccinations of medical personnel and monitor them for reactions to avoid significant numbers of medical workers becoming ill and potentially missing work at the same time, Derderian explained.

Once Phase 1a is completed, allocation of the vaccines will move into Phase 1b, in which vaccination will be expanded to people over 75 years old and “essential workers,” defined by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, as first responders, including police officers and firefighters; corrections officers; food and agricultural workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; manufacturing workers; grocery store workers; public transit workers; teachers and support staff members; as well as child care workers.

Following the completion of Phase 1b, Phase 1c recommendations will bring vaccine availability to all other essential workers, according to the CDC.

Both Pasadena and California health officials are adhering to federal guidelines. Elsewhere, such as in Texas, officials have elected to deviate from the guidelines in some respects, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The intent of the CDC guidelines is to balance the goals of “preventing morbidity and mortality” with the goal of “preservation of societal functioning,” according to a Dec. 20 report issued by the agency.

Health officials have said widespread public availability of COVID-19 vaccines is not expected until summer.