CVS Health begins COVID-19 vaccinations at hundreds of Indiana nursing homes

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) — CVS Health on Monday began administering COVID-19 vaccinations to nearly 1,000 long-term care facilities in Indiana.

Aspen Trace Family-first Senior Living in Johnson County between Bargersville and Greenwood was to have 200 people vaccinated including 100 residents plus staff.

Gregg Gormal is the chief operating officer of CarDon and Associates, which operates eight facilities in central Indiana and 20 across the state.

Gormal says Aspen Trace is one of three CarDon communities beginning vaccinations Monday with 95% of residents committing to get their first Moderna dose. That’s compared to about 50% commitment a few weeks ago. Gormal credits education for the increase: making sure staff and families understand the vaccine, how it’s safe, and what it means to get the vaccine.

Delores Williams, an 86-year-old Aspen Trace resident, admitted she was nervous to get the vaccine.

Williams and Gormal agree it’s light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s been emotionally and physically exhausting through the course of this, but in long term care we served our residents before this pandemic, we did our very best through the course of this pandemic to serve them and we will be here after,” Gormal said.

Williams says she’s just looking forward to holding her grandkids.

“I hope it keeps me from getting the virus. At this time in life I have enough other things wrong with me and I think it will be very helpful for me to have the vaccination,” Williams joked.

CarDon has partnered with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly recently and was part of the treatment clinical trials so Gormal expects Monday to go smoothly and as planned.

Gormal also says the vaccination rollout will continue to the other CarDon communities by mid-January.