News

CLICK HERE to view a recording of the Dec. 23 webinar. Use passcode nYDv#Z8&

Dear Family Members and Guardians,

We understand that the last nine months have been very difficult for the program participants and their families.  On behalf of Trinity Services’ Board of Directors and our entire leadership team, we are thankful for your support and assistance during this very difficult time.  We are working very hard to ensure the safety of your loved ones and the staff who provide support on a daily basis. 

By now you have probably learned that COVID-19 vaccines will soon be approved and ready for distribution to the healthcare workers and residents in long term care. We have long awaited this exciting news.

We understand that some of you may be concerned about the safety of these new vaccines, as they have been developed and tested far more quickly than those in the past. We want to assure you that the speed with which these vaccines were developed is not due to skipping important safety steps, but rather the result of focused, collaborative work performed by experts across the globe. Vaccines approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have undergone the same level of rigorous testing for safety and efficacy as other vaccines, and have been tested in tens of thousands of people, including older adults. Two independent advisory committees of experts from academic institutions also monitor vaccines to ensure their safety.

Most of the COVID-19 vaccines require two separate doses given about three or four weeks apart, depending on the vaccine. Participants of clinical trials have reported experiencing short-term side effects after being vaccinated, with more pronounced discomfort after the second dose. These possible side effects include headache, muscle pains, fatigue, chills, fever and pain at the injection site. Sometimes there is misunderstanding about the cause of these reactions, as you may have heard someone say a vaccine has “made them sick” or given them the disease that the vaccine was intended to prevent. We want to be clear that this is not the case. The COVID-19 vaccine cannot give you a COVID-19 infection. The vaccine works by helping the body create antibodies to fight off the virus. Feeling discomfort after getting the vaccine means that the vaccine is doing its job, and your body is making antibodies.

To view FAQs about the vaccine from the Illinois Department of Public Health, click here, and from the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, click here. To view COVID-19 vaccine information in plain language, from the Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center, click here.

We, along with other providers, are participating in a program with Walgreens to help us most efficiently distribute these vaccines to our program participants free of charge once they are available. We will keep you informed of this process as we move forward. Our staff will also have the opportunity to get vaccinated through this program.

Our staff will be reaching out to parents, families and guardians to further discuss the vaccine and to discuss obtaining consent for the vaccinations.  There are two doses; if a family/guardian would like for their loved one to get the vaccine, we will need for two consent forms to be signed.  The consent forms are the same, but a signed consent is required for each dose. Our staff will provide the consent forms, and it is also available here. To view a guide for filling out the consent form, click here.

In order to help provide additional information about the vaccines and to answer any questions you may have, we will be conducting a live webinar with Chad Kodiak, PharmD. RPh, from Kodo Pharmacy on Wednesday December 23^rd at 6:00 p.m.  We welcome all families, guardians and loved ones to join the webinar.  To sign up, click here.  We will also record the webinar for those who are unable to attend.  The link for the recording will be on the website.

We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, its possible side effects, and what to expect after you or a loved one receives it. As we have been saying over the course of this difficult year, we are all in this together. Please know that the safety and well-being of our staff and program participants have been and remain our top priority. We are confident that the worldwide, unprecedented scientific achievement of these COVID-19 vaccines will eventually enable to us enjoy life with our loved ones again. We look forward to doing our part in this effort by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and we hope you will join us.

Sincerely,
Thane Dykstra, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Trinity Services, Inc.