HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - A federal report found that many staff inside nursing homes around the country and in Hampton Roads are not vaccinated against COVID-19 as a federal mandate forcing more nursing home employees to get the vaccine goes into effect.
The CDC reports that 1.3 million Americans live in nursing homes across the United States.
A federal report shows the percentage of staff and residents with a vaccine, along with total COVID-19 cases and deaths in individual facilities. Right now the national average for staff with a vaccine is over 64%, and for residents, it's 84%, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
A News 3 investigation discovered that the report shows that several locations around Hampton Roads fall below the national average.
Professor of Medicine for EVMS Dr. Edward Oldfield told News 3 he was "shocked and concerned" by the numbers.
Oldfield said he assumed that people who work in nursing home settings and residents would be the first ones to get the vaccine.
"We're in the midst of a serious surge, and you don't want your elderly family members in a nursing home where the staff are not fully vaccinated," Oldfield said.
A News 3 investigation examined the numbers and spoke to experts about why this is a problem.
We will show you how you can search and find the rates at individual facilities.
That investigation, coming up tonight at 6 p.m.
