Iowa reports 31 COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, leaders blame unvaccinated

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - One senior living community says vaccines, or the lack of them, explains an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities.

Don Epley moved into Bickford Senior Living in Iowa City a few years ago to be with his wife of 58-years.

“My wife and I have been married a long time and have never been separated,” Epley said.

While he and his wife are fully vaccinated, he’s still worried about breakthrough infections.

“It’s still serious,” he said. “We are probably going to get a third shot. We haven’t done well as a country.”

The state reported 31 long-term care facilities had outbreaks as of Thursday, but Bickford in Iowa City was not one of them.

The company owns 10-facilities in Iowa and 63 locations in ten states. The facility has been COVID-19 free for more than 500 days, but there’s still a concern.

Ann Cheverton, the Senior Vice President of Resident Services, said the outbreaks were because of people are not getting vaccinated.

“It might be family members that aren’t vaccinated, it might be staff, it could be because the resident was going out and about in their community,” she said.

She said 90 percent of residents were fully vaccinated, but less than 50 percent of staff were. She said that was on par with national figures for care facilities, but said the company wasn’t mandating a vaccine for fear of losing staff.

“Every month, as a company, we are looking at whether we should be actually mandating those vaccines completely,” she said. “And we’re looking at what’s happening with other companies around the country and what they’re experiencing.”

The Biden Administration has required nursing homes to have staff vaccinated, but that federal mandate hasn’t begun yet. Epley wants people to think of those with underlying conditions like him and his wife.

“People need to think about other people, not just themselves, and get over their bias or prejudice about the shots,” Epley said.

Cheverton said employees who haven’t been vaccinated must wear a more protective mask. Families were asked to meet loved ones within their private apartments.

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