Commack Nursing Home Vaccinating Residents' Families

COMMACK, NY — Families of residents and staff at Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation in Commack are being vaccinated against the coronavirus, the living facility announced on Friday.

Gurwin's in-house pharmacy team was approved to administer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to any of its more than 375 eligible residents and 725 staff members who have not yet been vaccinated, as well as to family members of both. Family of staff and residents began receiving the vaccine at the facility on April 2 after receiving the green light from the New York State Department of Health.

"Our in-house pharmacy team is pleased to be able to offer the COVID-19 vaccine for our extended Gurwin family," said Dr. Maria Franco, PharmD, BCGP, director of pharmacy at Gurwin, via news release. "Being able to vaccinate not only residents and staff, but their family members as well, helps to keep those in our community safe and protected, and more globally, aids in the efforts to achieve herd immunity for the greater Long Island community."

Gurwin residents and staff were among the first in Long Island nursing homes to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in an on-site clinic facilitated by vaccine partner Walgreens in the initial December 2020 vaccine rollout. The recent approval by the health department allows Gurwin’s in-house pharmacy to administer the Moderna vaccine not only to residents and staff, but as a benefit to eligible family members of both on an ongoing basis.

All family members receiving the vaccine are screened before entering the building, which includes a forehead temperature check and completion of a COVID-19 form regarding possible symptoms, exposure and recent travel. Family members are required to sign a consent form, and masks must be worn during their entire time in the building.