‘They’re all taking it:’ Hundreds getting COVID vaccine at Cary retirement community

The opportunity to be vaccinated against COVID-19 led residents of Searstone Retirement Community in Cary to come downstairs hours early Monday for the shot.

“This is probably the most important day of 2020 for us,” said Derrick Moore, executive director of Searstone.

Since March 3, 520,716 people in North Carolina have tested positive for COVID-19. The disease has killed 6,561 people in the state.

Two weeks ago, North Carolina received its first vials of the vaccine that has been given to 25,400 people in the state as of Dec. 22.

Moore said it was also two weeks ago that he learned that his facility would be given the Moderna vaccine just after Christmas. He said 350 people would be vaccinated throughout Monday.

“They’re all taking it,” Moore said of his residents, “so we’re excited. They’re all excited.”

Moderna vaccine

Moore said he had hoped his facility would receive the Moderna vaccine over Pfizer’s. Pfizer requires much colder storage for its vaccine than Moderna, and Moore said Searstone did not have the capability.

On Monday, four vaccinators arrived at the facility along with a crew of people doing health screenings prior to the injection.

The Moderna vaccine is given twice, 28 days apart, in the muscle of a person’s upper arm, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC reported that the Moderna vaccine has been found to be 94.1% effective in combating the deadly virus in clinical trials.

The most common side effects include redness, swelling and pain in the injection site as well as chills, tiredness and headaches.

Searstone residents had a 15-minute monitoring period after receiving the injection to ensure they did not have immediate adverse reactions.

Moore, who received the shot just before talking with The News & Observer Monday, said so far he had experienced no reactions, nor had anyone on his staff or any residents who had already received the vaccine.

Any side effects typically occur within 48 hours and clear up after a few days.

Positive tests

Moore said running a retirement community during COVID-19 has been “very trying.”

“We’re taking care of the most vulnerable population,” Moore said. “We’ve been very, very fortunate here and this is just another step in the right direction.”

Since COVID-19 first reached North Carolina, Searstone has had two staff members test positive for COVID-19. Both were asymptomatic, Moore said.

Moore said one of the residents, a man in his 90s, just completed his quarantine period Monday after testing positive for the virus. Moore said he is the only resident to contract the virus and he also showed no signs.

“I just saw him and he’s as chipper as ever,” Moore said.

Reaction

Moore said his staff received the vaccine at 9 a.m. followed by nursing home residents. Those in assisted living began receiving the shot at 11:30 a.m. but came earlier.

“They’re not supposed to be down here yet,” Moore said. “We had to start telling them to go back.”

Moore said all but one of his residents planned on taking the vaccine Monday. The one who didn’t was advised against taking the vaccine by her oncologist, though other patients with cancer were not given those same directions. Moore said he did not know the reasoning.

Moore said his Monday was devoted to making sure his residents were vaccinated.

“They’re excited,” Moore said. “Maybe this means we’ll get some relief from all this in the next 6 or 8 months.”

This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 2:42 PM.