MINOT, N.D. – With North Dakota in the second phase of its coronavirus vaccine rollout, more and more people are eligible to receive it.
According to the North Dakota Department of Health website, the state has administered more than 40,000 doses as of Sunday.
In Ward County, just a little under 2,000 doses have been given out to health care workers and now residents in long term care facilities.
For healthcare staff like Jennifer Mitchell, Monday was a big day for Trinity Homes.
“It was pretty exciting. It’s the start of the end of this,” said Mitchell, director of Clinical Excellence and Resident Safety.
The long-term care facility began vaccinating staff and residents. More than 100 staff and 100 residents received the Pfizer vaccine.
“We had a lot of a families that were like that, they really wanted their resident vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Mitchell.
Meanwhile, not everyone is jumping to getting the vaccine right away.
“We have some resident families that are a little hesitant right now, and they’ve asked that we reach out in our second clinic, which will be in three weeks, to see if they have changed their mind or not,” said Mitchell.
Trinity Homes is not the first longterm care facility in the area to receive the shot. Somerset Court vaccinated 93 staff and residents last week.
“Everyone did fairly well with them, other than maybe a sore arm the next day. Nothing other than what they typical vaccine would bring,” said Melissa VanDeventer, facility director.
VanDeventer added that residents are hopeful for positive change.
“If we don’t change anything, nothing is going to change. So, I know in taking the vaccine, I know that their hope is that they will be able to see their family and their family will feel better about seeing them as well,” said VanDeventer.
Each facility hoping to vaccinate as many people as they can.
CVS will administer vaccines Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 at Trinity Homes. White Drug is administering vaccines at Somerset Court. Both long-term care facilities are receiving the Pfizer vaccine. COVID-19 testing is still being conducted at least once a week at each facility.
