Still a ‘long road ahead’ in England’s Covid battle despite every care home resident being offered jab, National Care Forum warns

The National Care Forum has warned England still has a “long road ahead” in its fight against Covid-19, despite all care home residents having been offered the first dose of a vaccine, with teams having been in 95% of care homes.

Speaking to Sky News, the chief executive of the National Care Forum, Vic Rayner, praised the success of the rollout amongst residents, although she accepted there still needs to be significant progress in vaccinating care home staff.

Last week, only 27% of care homes had vaccinated 70% or more of their staff, according to data released by the government.

“We’ve got a long road ahead and have to make sure that the government approach isn’t for a one-hit wonder,” Rayner said, urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ensure there is “a consistent and sustained approach over the coming months.”

Alongside the priority groups who have been identified, Rayner suggested that the government should also consider expanding its targets to include individuals who regularly visit residents, provide help, or live in care homes and supported accommodation, despite not being elderly.

When the UK government began the vaccine rollout, it set a target of ensuring all members of four key priority groups, including care home residents, received the first dose of a vaccine before February 15. The nation is on course to hit that target, having given nearly nine million people the first jab and more than 491,000 people their second dose, as of January 31.

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