Walnut Ridge nursing home has “nearly 100% participation” in getting COVID-19 vaccine

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (KAIT) - The Walnut Ridge Nursing & Rehabilitation Center announced that the COVID-19 vaccine became available to all staff and elders Monday.

According to the facility, nearly every single elder and staff member received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Executive Director Rachel Bunch with the Arkansas Health Care Association said the Walnut Ridge facility is an example of resiliency.

“The participation rate is incredible, it’s nearly 100 percent,” Bunch said.

“We hope that in the future, the others will take the vaccine as well, but those numbers are high, and we’re so proud of them and the work that they do.”

The virus hit the facility hard months ago. A total of 54 elders tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Unfortunately, four of them died due to the virus.

Up to 25 staff members tested positive for COVID-19 as well. The facility was declared COVID-free at the end of May.

“Walnut Ridge is an excellent example of a facility that went through a hard time several months ago and had a lot of cases,” Bunch said.

“They’ve had some hard times but have come out on the other side of this, and I think the number of uptake for vaccines in this facility shows you how this team is standing together.”

Bunch said she’s grateful that they can provide vaccines for those in long-term care facilities, adding that the participation in getting the vaccine among those in this facility is a breath of fresh air.

“It’s so refreshing to see that we’ve come out of this, and we’ve come so far,” Bunch said. “Now we have vaccines to offer to them and their staff and those residents that are there. I am so grateful that we are able to do that.”

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