Pfizer vaccine rollout success for over 200 residents in Gloucestershire care homes

Half of all care home staff and 97 per cent of residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19 at five Gloucestershire care homes

Faithfull House care home in Cheltenham was one of the first six care homes in England to be visited and since then the NHS has successfully rolled out the programme bringing the Pfizer vaccine to over 200 residents in all of the Gloucestershire charity’s homes.

Martin Hughes, chief executive of Lilian Faithfull Care said: “This is the light at the end of the tunnel. “This protection, our residents and teams have embraced, is making our care homes some of the safest places to live and work in the county.

“It is credit to the teams in the homes and testament to our relationship with our incredible partners, our GPs and practice teams at the surgeries, that we are at the forefront of battling this virus.”

'I think it’s very important, to stop the spread of the virus’

While there is some evidence to indicate high levels of short-term protection from a single dose of vaccine, the Department of Health and Social Care advises a two-dose vaccine schedule as this is likely to offer longer-lasting protection.

The vaccination is not compulsory and appropriate permissions have been sought from residents and their families.

After receiving their Pfizer vaccine, care home residents gave reassuring advice to others by saying: “It was quick and easy, it’s like all these things that you can get worried about them but it’s nothing to worry about.”

“I think it’s very important, to stop the spread of the virus.”

“It went very well. No problems.”

This news comes on top of Lilian Faithfull Care staff being some of the first in the country to be vaccinated at Gloucester Royal Hospital in December, with 50 per cent now having received the vaccine.

James Mitchell, deputy manager and clinical lead at Faithfull House said: “It’s been thrilling to see the partnership working between our charity and all the community services. Seeing everyone come together the way they have to deliver what is essentially a historic vaccine for our residents has been incredible.”

Their other care homes included in the rollout were Resthaven Nursing home in Stroud and Astell House, St Faith’s and Royal Court in Cheltenham.

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