Stewart Reed, nursing home administrator at the Brian Center Health & Retirement/Cabarrus, was among the first to receive his COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 14, 2021.
It had been months since Tremellia Hobbs had an excuse to bring out the pompoms. Before the pandemic, they were a crowd favorite during movie nights and bingo tournaments that Hobbs organized as activities director at the nursing home.
It had been a difficult and sad year at the Brian Center Health & Retirement/Cabarrus. Over the summer, there had been an outbreak of the virus which had killed 10 residents and infected 30 staff members. For nearly a year, residents had been eating meals alone in their rooms, reminiscing about the days they shared popcorn while watching wrestling matches on TV.