COVID-19 vaccinations underway at Iowa’s largest nursing home

MARSHALLTOWN — The 900 residents and staff at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown are now in the second of three days of getting vaccinated for COVID-19. A team of 14 pharmacists and assistants from Walgreens are doing the honors at the state’s largest nursing home.

IVH compliance officer Rob Moore is in charge of infection control and says giving the vaccines is the latest high on the COVID rollercoaster ride.  “I don’t think we’ve ever done anything on plan A, usually C, D or F,” Moore says. “We’ve done over 20,000 tests to date. All of it has been to keep the residents safe until that day when there would be a vaccine. I think we’ve done a good job with that and it’s very exciting to know that it’s finally here.”

Moore notes that while it is hoped the vaccine will help knock out the virus at the Veterans Home, having the vaccine doesn’t mean that testing for COVID will halt.  “We know that this vaccine may be 95-percent protective, but without everybody having it, then there’s still a risk out there,” he says. “So, it’s not a cure-all and we’re still going to have to take precautions and test when need be. We’re very happy that this is a start, but it’s not the cure-all we hoped it would be.”

Moore says while the Veterans Home would like to see everyone there receive the shot, he says they are not forcing the issue, acknowledging some of the staff have expressed concern about the vaccine.