Few Nursing Facility Residents and Staff Have Gotten the Latest COVID-19 Vaccines

Fewer nursing facility residents and staff are getting COVID-19 vaccines, according to a new KFF analysis of federal data. Only 38% of residents and 15% of staff have received the latest vaccine. In comparison, 50% of residents and 22% of staff received updated vaccines in 2022 and 87% of residents and 88% of staff completed the initial vaccination series.

The percentage of residents who received the latest COVID-19 vaccine varies by state and type of facility. Vaccination rates range from 20% in Arizona to 63% in Vermont and North Dakota and were higher in nonprofit facilities (46%) than in for-profit (35%) or government (43%) facilities. Nursing staff had less variation and lower vaccination rates across states and in all facilities.

Residents’ and staff vaccination rates have declined with the release of each new COVID-19 shot for a variety of reasons, including fewer federal initiatives aimed at increasing vaccinations, the end of vaccine mandates for health care workers, and declining concerns about COVID-19 risks. Recent KFF polling shows that more than half of previously vaccinated adults are not worried about getting COVID-19.

Variation in nursing facility vaccine rates across states may be affected by several factors, including ownership patterns and partisanship, with higher rates in states that have more non-profit facilities and states that voted for President Biden in 2020, as well as whether facilities have established successful vaccination programs.