U of R study: Nursing home residents more likely to die of COVID if staff is unvaccinated

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — A new study from the University of Rochester shows the impact of nursing home staff being vaccinated.

Researchers found COVID-related death rates among residents in low-vaccination facilities were nearly three times that of places with the highest levels of staff vaccination, even if residents were vaccinated themselves.

The research, conducted with the Harvard Medical School, looked at data from more than 12,000 nursing homes across the country. That number represents about 81% of nursing homes across the state.

The study suggests that if all the nursing homes in its sample had been in the highest average of staff vaccination coverage (82.7%) 4775 cases among, 7501 cases among staff, and 703 Covid-19–related resident deaths could possibly have been prevented.

According to NYS Department of Health data, most facilities across the state have above a 95% staff vaccination rate, none have a 100%.