Nursing home residents among first to get COVID vaccine in mass

Click here for updates on this story

    LOWELL, MA (WBZ) — Those in long-term care and nursing home facilities will be among the first people to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts. For their families, this advancement is a ray of hope to one-day hug their loved ones again.

With a coronavirus vaccine on the way, 79-year-old Claudia Torre told WBZ-TV from her nursing home window in Lowell that she’s eager to finally step outside and be with her relatives.

“I’m the type of person who likes to be outside, walking around,” she shouted. “I think I’m going to be one of the top ones because I’m older!”

But it comes with a bit of nervousness.

“About the reaction from the shot because sometimes when I get the flu shot, I get a little bit of a reaction so I don’t know what’s going to happen with this,” said Torre.

While this is a major milestone in the fight against COVID-19, UMass Memorial Epidemiologist Dr. Richard Ellison said the vaccine won’t stop the spread until it’s more widely available.

“To be able to have herd immunity, you have to have at least 70-80% of the population having received the vaccine,” said Dr. Ellison.

Claudia’s daughter-in-law, Darlene Torre, said while her loved ones at Willow Manor Nursing Home will be getting vaccinated, she’s unsure if she will.

“I’m really nervous about the vaccine. I don’t see that it’s proven yet,” said Darlene Torre.

But a big factor in her decision-making – the ability to be with her family again without having to worry.

“This is… the first holiday, Christmas, that my sister won’t be coming out to spend the day with us,” Torre said with tearful eyes. “It’s really so exciting. The thought of being able to hug them and kiss them.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.