First Nursing Home Residents Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

Luxembourg's Ministry of State, together with the Ministry of Family, Integration and the Greater Region and the Ministry of Health, have confirmed that the first residents of nursing homes received the COVID-19 vaccine yesterday.

On Wednesday 6 January 2021, Luxembourg launched its vaccination campaign in nursing homes. Among the 52 structures in Luxembourg, the first vaccinations were administered to residents of the Seniorie St Jean de la Croix in Luxembourg City.

One of the first to receive the jab was 96-year-old Dr Joseph Mersch, who commented: “I awaited this vaccination with great impatience. It is all the same for the health of all of us!” He added: “I can only advise my fellow citizens to do the same. It didn't even hurt".

Another resident to have received the vaccine, 79-year-old Anne Wissler-Reiser, said: “I did not hesitate for a second! It's a small gesture for everyone, but so important for the community. If we want to get back to normal and see our loved ones again quickly, that's very little to ask”.

According to the information gathered by ZithaSenior, the desire to be vaccinated is very high among nursery home residents, with 80-90% of elderly people having responded favourably to the invitation.

Within the facilities, vaccines are generally administered by the residents' attending physician and a nurse employed by the nursing home, while mobile teams from the Ministry of Health provide the facility with vaccines and equipment needed to carry out a vaccination, as well as IT support and logistics. At present, two mobile teams, each made up of a civil servant team leader and an administrative and logistical assistant (Luxembourg Army, Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps - CGDIS and customs alternately) are deployed. Each team is attached to a vaccination centre.

Between 6 and 14 January 2021, the authorities plan to vaccinate the residents of eleven nursing homes, according to a list established by the Ministry of Family, Integration and the Greater Region, in close collaboration with COPAS (Federation of Providers of the Aid and Care Sector). Other nursing homes and integrated care centres for the elderly (CIPA) in the country will follow. In the end, 6,200 residents will be able to get vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

All the staff of the accommodation structures for the elderly (6,332 health professionals and 8,927 other professionals) will also be vaccinated over the next few weeks in the vaccination centres. The first vaccinations were already carried out on 30 December 2020.