KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – State health officials say nursing homes and longterm care facilities are proof the vaccination program is working.
For the first time in months, there are no outbreak investigations scheduled for next week at any Wisconsin nursing homes, according to DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk.
For over three weeks, most of the staff and residents at St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Overall, we are at a point where the worst of this is behind us, largely because of the vaccine,” said Sondra Norder, President & CEO of St. Paul Elder Services.
Norder tells FOX 11 they had a significant outbreak in August, but haven’t seen much COVID activity since the end of October.
“So, I can’t say the vaccine has done a lot in terms of bringing case rates down here, but I’m certainly hearing that from my colleagues around the state.”
State health officials say at the peak of the pandemic, outbreak investigations were being conducted at 50 to 70 nursing homes and longterm care facilities each week. They say those investigations have lowered to single digits since staff and residents have started to receive vaccines.
“This is an indicator that we’re seeing less outbreaks and that we’re seeing a reduction in disease transmission in these facilities,” said Willems Van Dijk.
State health officials say lower transmission rates have many facilities easing restrictions.
At St. Paul Elder Services, Norder says they started allowing scheduled visits before Christmas.
“And actually we started going back to some communal dining and some small group activities about three weeks ago now as well. That is just based on the fact that the community transmission rate has been going down.”
Norder says the slow return to normalcy has also brought back smiles and laughter for both the residents and the staff.
“Everybody is happy.”
St. Paul Elder Services says its immunization rate among residents is just under 100 percent. For staff, it’s about 75 percent.
At the beginning of February, the CDC reported only 38 percent of nursing home staff nationwide were getting vaccinated.
