Only about 10% of the nursing homes in Kansas regulated by the federal government have met the industry’s goal for vaccinating their workers against COVID-19, according to government data.

The industry’s aim is to have 75% of the homes’ staff vaccinated. But the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says that as of late June, 34 of the 324 federally licensed homes in Kansas had met that goal, the Topeka Capital-Journal reports.

We checked the data and found this information about area facilities:

Wilson Care and Rehab, Ellsworth - 70.0% of current residents and 50.0% of staff received a completed COVID-19 vaccination

Good Samaritan Society - Ellsworth Village - 81.8% of residents - 51.0% of staff

Diversicare of Larned - 88.5% of residents - 38.1% of staff

Medicalodges Kinsley - 81.8% of residents - 59.5% of staff 

Wheatland Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Russell - 92.1% of residents - 70.2% of staff

Azria Health Great Bend - 90.9% of residents - 37.2% of staff

Sterling Village - 72.7% of residents - 42.5% of staff

Good Samaritan Society, Lyons - 84.0% residents - 37.8% of staff

Azria Health Woodhaven, Ellinwood - 92.5% of residents - 38.5% of staff

Locust Grove Village, La Crosse - 85.3% of residents - 61.7% of staff

Sandstone Heights, Little River - 91.7% of residents - 56.0% of staff

Medicalodges Great Bend - 88.2% of residents - 50.0%  of staff

Leisure Homestead at St John - 82.6% of residents - 60.0% of staff

Leisure Homestead at Stafford - 81.8% of residents - 42.9% of staff

Russell Regional Hospital LTCU -  83.3% of residents - 40.6% of staff

Ness County Hospital LTCU dba Cedar Village - 94.4% of residents 63.4% of staff

The good news is that so many residents are vaccinated and that seems to be working. Every Wednesday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports the locations of clusters where there have been five or more COVID-19 cases with onset of symptoms in the past 14 days. In the past, long-term care facilities would have accounted for many of these. This week, out of nine COVID-19 exposure locations, only two – in Columbus and Fredonia – were listed. (Four clusters were at camps, two at corrections facilities and one at a religious gathering.)

We encourage anyone who works with at-risk populations to consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The delta variant of the virus is showing up in more and more cases. We’ve enjoyed coming together more this summer, but the pandemic is not over.