Vaccinations began at Retirement Inn

That motorhome parked in the Retirement Inn parking lot Sunday was not from an out of town family but a more important visitor: a crew from Consonus Pharmacy bringing a supply of the first of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine to Inn residents and staff.

By 3 p.m., the end of the six hour vaccination clinic, almost all residents and staff had been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The Inn’s lobby was refashioned, with Executive Director Christina James registering people and getting consent forms signed. Staff nurses Linda Hall and Robin Lawrence, the latter coming from the Lake Stevens Radiant Living facility, provided inoculations, sitting people down on chairs separated by a table of supplies in front of the receptionist’s counter.

Consonus staff mixed the dosage in stages in the motorhome and brought it in as needed. The company provides rehab, pharmacy and consulting services in over 300 facilities nationwide.

James was excited about the predicted participation rates up to 98%, “above the national average,” she said. It included former residents who came by. Ron Eggert bicycled over and others came with family members or caregivers.

“I am taking the vaccine for my residents, for my family and in the hope that we can have lives again; I want my residents to see their families,” James emphasized. The Inn’s supply is due to Gov. Jay Inslee securing doses for long term care facilities.

“Being cooped up for a year really takes its toll on everybody,” James noted. She realizes that opening the Retirement Inn to family and visitors depends on transmission rates dropping significantly in Skagit County, in the state and the country as a whole, and on Inslee’s reopening plans.

“It depends on everyone else out there too,” James said.

Residents and staff will get their second shot Feb. 7, when the Retirement Inn will repeat the clinic.