Booster vaccine rollout too slow putting care homes 'at risk' from Covid once again, warns care leader

The Independent Care Group (ICG) is calling on the government to speed up the Covid-19 booster vaccine to care home residents and care workers in fear a surge in infection rates will put their settings at risk “once again” this winter.

The government has set a deadline of 1 November for all care home residents and staff to have had the offer of a booster, but data seen by The Telegraph show that only 27.8 per cent of care home residents and 14.1 per cent of staff have had their third vaccine.

The ICG say providers are worried that the slow delivery of booster vaccines to care home residents and staff risk a surge in new cases in their settings.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “The rollout isn’t happening quickly enough and that is putting care settings at risk once again.

“Evidence shows that infection and death rates are rising again, and history shows that vulnerable people are going to be most at risk if Covid-19 takes a hold.”

According to latest figures from NHS England, a total of 3.7 million booster vaccines have been administered but many more are still waiting for their third dose, however, almost five million (4.8 million) eligible people in England who had their second Covid vaccine at least six months ago are still waiting for a booster jab to protect them this winter- including 3.3 million people aged over 60.

People aged 50 years and over, NHS and social care workers and younger people at risk are being offered a Covid booster dose.

Chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and former chief scientific advisor, Sir David King told Sky News: “I think the booster scheme has been rolled out extremely slowly which is surprising given the success of the vaccination scheme.

"I cannot understand this. If the vaccines are available, what’s happening to the rollout?”

Mr Padgham said: “We dread going back to a situation where we have increasing cases amongst residents and staff off sick with Covid-19, putting the care we offer in jeopardy.”

’Social care providers are in the ‘midst of a perfect storm.’

The ICG would also like to see Mr Javid postpone the imposition of compulsory vaccination for care staff, which is scheduled to come in next month.

“We are facing an ever-increasing staffing crisis and will need all hands to the pumps ahead of winter,” Mr Padgham added.

“The last thing we need is another 40,000 vacancies in the social care sector if the Government persists with its no jab, no job rule for social care. We would ask Mr Javid to at least consider delaying if not scrapping that plan.”

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England is also urging the government to reconsider the mandatory vaccination timeframe and warn social care providers are in the “midst of a perfect storm.”

Professor Green said: “If vaccination for Covid-19 and/or flu is legislated as a condition of deployment for the wider social care sector, due consideration must be lent to the timeframe for its imposition, and it must be accompanied by commensurate resources and funding.

“Providers are currently operating against a backdrop of a multitude of workforce pressures and need government assistance as outlined in our ongoing correspondence with the Secretary of State.”