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Florida hires company to help with COVID vaccinations at assisted living facilities

People living in nearly 1,000 facilities are expected to get vaccinated by Jan. 31.
Credit: AP
RN Connie Garcia extracts a dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine which will be administered to a Texas Tech University Health Science Center student at Texas Tech University Health Science Center's Academic Building Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, in Odessa, Texas. (Jacob Ford/Odessa American via AP)

TAMPA, Fla — Some seniors living in Florida’s assisted living facilities are frustrated. They are not vaccinated yet despite being the first priority group allowed by the governor to get the vaccine.

But thanks to a new partnership, they won’t have to wait much longer for their shot.

The state of Florida has hired CDR Health. The private firm will now be helping administer vaccinations at these facilities across the state.

The firm tells 10 Investigates its goal is to vaccinate all the assisted living facilities that CVS and Walgreens have not gotten to yet: that’s about 1,900 locations. They plan to do that by Jan. 31.

They tell us since signing on with the state, they have vaccinated facilities in Miami, Palm Beach and Hillsborough counties. The firm has also hired 1,000 workers to help get those vaccinations out.

The Florida Health Care Association says this is a welcome sign for those waiting for the vaccine.

"We learned last week the state contracted with CDR Health to support CVS and Walgreens partnerships. Those facilities are still going out in the community but CDR Health will support any ALF that did not have their clinic scheduled as of January 23rd,” Kristen Knapp said.

Knapp says it's important for people to know most nursing homes have already been vaccinated. The issue of delays is coming from assisted living facilities.

We asked CDR Health if its goal is attainable and if they will have enough vaccines. They tell 10 Investigates they have been told by the state they will be able to administer all the needed vaccines.

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