With a blue Snoopy mask over his nose, mouth and part of his long white beard, he was administered a shot at the Holyoke home through a federal Long Term Care pharmacy partnership program with CVS and Walgreens.
“I am very happy about getting the vaccine. My wish is that everyone in the world can get the vaccine,” he said in a statement.
Another Soldiers’ Home in Chelsea, Massachusetts, administered its first vaccine to Dominic Pitella, a 94-year-old who has been a resident there since April 2018. Pitella, a US Army Air Corps corporal, was a cook with the 559th Air Service Group and served in the Pacific theater in World War II, according to the EOHHS.
“I’m hopeful this will help everybody,” said Pitella.
Gov. Charlie Baker praised the vaccinations in a hopeful statement of better things to come.
“Administering vaccines to our frontline health care workers and now some of our most vulnerable residents in the Soldiers’ Home provides relief and hope that there are brighter days ahead for all,” he said in a statement.
“We are pleased to start providing the first dose to the incredible men and women living in both the Holyoke and Chelsea facilities to offer more protection from Covid-19, and remain grateful to the dedicated staff who are working tirelessly to keep our veterans safe and healthy during the pandemic.”
Two nursing home officials face charges
A grand jury indicted two officials in the home in September “for causing or permitting serious bodily injury or neglect of an elder during the Covid-19 outbreak,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said.