'Relief' as care home workers and residents receive Covid vaccinations

‘There's light at the end of the tunnel’ – Portsmouth care homes speak of their ‘relief’ as staff and residents begin to receive their Covid vaccines.

With coronavirus related deaths significantly rising again both in hospitals and care homes, living and working within the care sector has been a ‘scary’ experience for many.

Residents of the Cosham Court Nursing Home, in the north of the city, were among the first in Portsmouth to get their jabs.

All 30 clients had their initial vaccine on December 31, provided by a local GP surgery, with most of the 40 staff members having theirs by attending a practice.

Alison Lang, manager of Cosham Court Nursing Home, said: ‘There was a feeling of relief but obviously we are still very aware we have to continue to follow the guidelines and social distance and use PPE.

‘It seems that in the Portsmouth area we have been supported fairly well and lots of care homes have had their vaccines.

‘We managed fairly well during the pandemic. It’s been hard work but at last we’re feeling like there’s light at the end of the tunnel.’

But fears were raised about the delayed wait for the second dose of the vaccine, which increases its effectiveness.

Ms Lang added: ‘However, we were concerned because our second doses for staff and residents, which were originally booked in for three weeks later ,have been delayed until March now.

‘It is worrying because the original study showed it should be taken after three weeks although they say it’s still fine at 12.’

It comes as the latest figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) showed Covid related deaths in care homes in Hampshire have significantly risen in recent weeks.

According to the CQC there were 57 deaths in homes related to coronavirus in the Hampshire County Council area between January 9 and 15.

And in that time there were four in Portsmouth.

In the eight days previously there was a total of 36 across the whole of Hampshire (including Southampton).

It was the highest weekly figure for the Hampshire County Council area since the week starting April 25 when 78 were recorded.

Residents of Southsea-based Home of Comfort received their first dose of the vaccine at the beginning of January.

Robin Hall, the home’s bursar, said it came at a time when the effects of the second wave were being felt.

She said: ‘It was a relief especially because everyone I spoke to that week, including people who hadn’t had a single case in their home was suddenly having massive outbreaks – dozens of cases. Staff were having to move in.

‘The day we had the vaccines I had to go off and have a little cry. It felt like we had made it.

‘You do feel a bit of survivor’s guilt when you hear about others that are still trying to manage without the vaccine.’

There were also concerns that those working in domiciliary care had been left ‘at risk’ after the government did not place them in the most immediate priority categories.

Marcus Kerridge-McColl, the director of Crescent Community Care in Southsea, said: ‘In my opinion community care workers are more at risk because they’re going in and out of people’s homes without knowing who else has been there. It has been scary for them.

‘This wave has been much harder because there have been so many more people who have contracted it – so many more of our clients and staff. And if a client catches Covid they still need to receive care, so you still need to go in and look after them.

‘But the government did not put us in the first group to get vaccines, we were told we would have to wait until at least February.

‘Luckily after talking to the council and public health they helped us get staff booked in sooner at QA Hospital so all of the most at risk staff have been vaccinated.

‘They are all so relieved and so grateful to get them because it really does feel like there is now light at the end of the tunnel.’

Out of the 78 carers at Crescent Care around half have now had the first vaccine. And community carers from other companies were all included in the drive by the council to get vaccines through QA.