Patient’s daughter says her SWFL nursing home will get COVID-19 vaccine soon

A Southwest Florida nursing care network is already scheduling to vaccinate its residents.

ManorCare Nursing & Rehabilitation in Collier confirmed vaccine dates for its locations Friday: ManorCare Lely Palms is scheduled for Monday, and ManorCare Naples is scheduled for Wednesday.

A woman told us ManorCare was chosen to receive some of the first vaccines. She expects her 90-year-old mother will get vaccinated Dec. 23. She got a call from the nursing care center that both residents and health care workers were going to be getting them.

Maxine Boatman is a COVID-19 survivor. Soon, she’ll be one of the first to get the vaccine in Collier County.

“When I first heard it, I just prayed, ‘Dear, God, don’t let her go out like this. She’s lived to be 90 years old, and she’s got several great-great grandchildren,’ said Judy Durbin, Maxine’s daughter. “We have five generations, and I said, ‘Just don’t let her go out this way, and he didn’t.’”

Durbin told us the pandemic has been tough on their family, with her mother living at ManorCare on Lakewood Boulevard the entire time.

“I can go and see her, but its outside for 15 minutes, and you can’t hug; you can’t kiss; you can’t do anything,” Durbin said. “So that’s been very, very, very difficult.”

A special delivery of hope is on the way for Judy’s mother and their family.

“I got a call from ManorCare, my mom’s nurse, saying that they will be getting the vaccines on December 23r, and would I agree to have her have it,” Durbin said. “The answer was yes because you don’t know how long the immunity lasts, and I said, ‘Yes. I would rather be safe than sorry.’”

At the Palm Harbor location in Pinellas County, ManorCare residents and workers were already vaccinated.

“I think the U.S. is very strong, and they’ve worked very hard,” Durbin said.

ManorCare health services are expected to distribute the Pfizer vaccine with the help of CVS Pharmacy.

Durbin hopes the vaccine brings her one step closer to spending more time with her mother.

“Hold her and say I love her,” Durbin said.