Alzheimer's Association Strongly Supports CDC Advisory Committee Recommendation To Prioritize Long-term Care Residents And Staff For Coronavirus Vaccine

December 2, 2020 (Chicago) - The Alzheimer's Association urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to adopt recommendations put forth yesterday by an independent panel to prioritize residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care settings for receiving forthcoming coronavirus vaccines.

Recent reports indicate that individuals living in long-term care settings account for nearly 40% of all COVID-19 related deaths during the pandemic. Individuals living with Alzheimer's and other dementia are particularly vulnerable. These individuals are older, live in communal settings and often have underlying chronic conditions putting them at higher risk for the virus.

    --  48% of nursing home residents have dementia.
    --  42% of all individuals in residential care communities, including
        assisted living facilities, have Alzheimer's or another dementia.

Alzheimer's Association spokespersons are available to discuss:

    --  The importance of making long-term care residents and staff a priority
        when vaccines are approved and available.
    --  The current impact the pandemic has had on these residents and the
        reasons why they have been particularly vulnerable during the current
        crisis.
    --  A recent Alzheimer's Association state-by-state analysis of CDC data
        indicating deaths due to Alzheimer's and dementia are up nearly 17%
        nationally since the pandemic.

Quote from the Alzheimer's Association on today's recommendation
Attributable to Beth Kallmyer, vice president, care and support

"Prioritizing residents and staff in long-term care settings for the forthcoming coronavirus vaccine is absolutely the right decision. Vaccinations must begin with our most vulnerable and where the threat is the greatest. More than 100,000 coronavirus deaths have been attributed to residents and staff in long-term care settings. In addition, vaccinating residents and staff in these settings is a critical first step to allowing residents to reunite with their families after months of separation, often accelerating decline of those with dementia. Vaccines that offer protection to these individuals cannot come soon enough."

Contact media@alz.org or 312.335.4078 to set up an interview. To learn more visit: alz.org/covid19help

CONTACT: Alzheimer's Association Media Line, 312.335.4078, media@alz.org

/PRNewswire/ -- Dec. 2, 2020/

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association