Meridian Living resident speaks on COVID vaccine, plans second dose

Residents and staff members of Meridian Living received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine this past Monday. 98-year-old resident Eula Mae Stallings says she was happy to receive the vaccine and she hasn’t had any side effects from the dose.

“I thought I needed it if it does good and I feel alright since I’ve taken it,” said Stallings. “I think it was necessary and when you get 98, you better go along with what’s going on.”

The senior living facility partnered with CVS Health to give the vaccine to 12 residents and 8 staff members. The second batch is expected to arrive in the next 26 days.

“We started a few months ago--going around asking each person if they wanted to take it,” said Candace Page, Director of Operations. “It’s not mandatory, so it’s totally up to them. I had a list of who wanted it and who didn’t.”

Page says residents were eager to receive the vaccine and hopes these vaccines will allow them to reopen to visitors.

“This has been a long year for not only us, but everybody and we are just so grateful that we are able to partner with CVS and have them come in," said Page. "We can’t wait for more people to get vaccinated so hopefully we’ll be able to open back up.”

Residents and staff members who didn’t get the vaccine this time around will have the opportunity to receive it on February 15th if they choose to during the second dose.