Nursing homes across Long Island began to vaccinate their workers and residents against COVID-19 Monday.

The vaccine will be coming in coolers from providers such as CVS and Walgreens.

Nursing homes are among the places hardest hit by COVID-19, forcing many facilities to shut their doors to outside visitors, unless very strict criteria is met.

Several Long Island families have not been able to visit their relatives at nursing homes since the pandemic began.

In the U.S., at least 106,000 long-term facility workers and residents died from the coronavirus - 38% of the country's fatalities.

At Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Commack, their vaccines are coming from Walgreens and being administered by staff from the company.

Lynette Rutherford, the chief nursing officer, says after contracting COVID-19 twice, getting the vaccine meant an exciting day for her.

"I was happy -- I didn't wait," says Rutherford. "I wanted to just do it because I'll think it will make a difference. And being the chief nursing officer, I could show everyone I took so let's all get on board."

Two-thirds of Gurwin's residents were due to get the vaccine Monday, which was not mandatory.

With all the residents who haven't been able to see their family since March, many say they hope Monday marks a turnaround and that someday soon families and visitors will be allowed inside the building once again.