The Presbyterian Church of Westminster, the Rev. Patrick Heery performs an outdoor healing and prayer service at The Commons on St. Anthony for residents and staff. The residence has been besieged with more than 180 cases of COVID-19 and more than 20 deaths.
Kevin Rivoli, The Citizen
A viral post on social media and an article posted on an obscure website falsely suggest that there may be a link between the timing of COVID-19 vaccinations and deaths at an Auburn nursing home.
The publications refer to reports of the COVID-19 outbreak in The Commons on St. Anthony and Auburn. More than 180 employees and residents at the facility have tested positive for the virus. At least 28 residents have died after testing positive for COVID-19.
The authors of the publications, which The Citizen does not disclose to prevent the dissemination of false and misleading information, raise the possibility that there is a connection between the deaths and the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine at the residence.
However, there are key facts that are omitted from the claims. The Commons, operated by Loretto, began vaccinating employees and residents on December 22nd. Prior to the first vaccination clinic, the nursing home already had an outbreak of COVID-19. Julie Sheedy, a spokeswoman for Loretto, told The Citizen that the outbreak began in December after Thanksgiving.
“Given the incubation period we know for this virus, our facility was affected before vaccines became available for administration,” Sheedy wrote in an email Monday. “We would certainly like the vaccines to have been available sooner to help prevent the devastation caused by this virus.”