Care home worker 'heartbroken' to end 14 year career due to Covid jab rule

A care home worker said she is "heartbroken" about having to leave a 14 year career in care because she refused to get vaccinated for Covid-19.

The government has said all care home workers must be double vaccinated against coronavirus by November 11 unless medically exempt.

As a result, Louise Akester is leaving the care home job she loves because she does not want to get vaccinated.

'I'm at a loss about what I'll be doing after I lose this job'

"I'm at a loss about what I'll be doing after I lose this job. I just feel so heartbroken", Ms Akester told Hull Live. She calls the vaccination rule unfair because care home residents and their visitors are not required by the government to be vaccinated.

"There can be unvaccinated visitors. It seems unfair how they can do it, yet I can't."

Even though she will lose her job, she said: "I'm still standing by my decision. My heart has been in that role of work for such a long time. My manager has been quite emotional over it all as she really does not want to lose me.

"We should have freedom of choice. The only choice I've been left with is either having the vaccine against your freedom of choice, or lose your job. It's absolutely destroying me."

'This choice should be my basic human right'

As part of her job's requirements, the care worker has been tested three times a week for Covid, wears PPE, and says she follows "all guidelines relating to infection control".

She says of her decision not to be double-vaccinated: "I'd rather wait until we know more about the potential long-term side effects.

"I genuinely love my job with all my heart, I only earn minimum wage so believe me it isn’t the money keeping me there. But November 5 will be one of the hardest days of my life when I have to say my goodbyes to all my lovely residents.

"When I have to leave that building at the end of my final shift knowing that I can no longer return as an employee, all because apparently now I’m not good enough to protect them due to refusing the vaccines. "This choice should be my basic human right. I do not deserve to be punished for saying 'no' “.

In early October, Health Secretary Sajid Javid told care workers to have two doses of the Covid vaccine or "get out and get another job".

Mr Javid said: "If you work in a care home you are working with some of the most vulnerable people in our country, and if you cannot be bothered to go and get vaccinated then get out and go and get another job. If you are not going to get vaccinated then why are you working in care?"

The health secretary has said he will not extend the 11 November deadline for care home workers to have had both doses of a Covid-19 jab.

Care leaders such as Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England have warned that care homes may shutdown as a result of the government’s mandatory vaccination deadline. Martin Green, speaking in early October on BBC's Radio 4 said: “Care homes are now in a difficult position, facing the reality of do they have enough staff to maintain safety and quality of care?

"They are in the position of either having to transgress the law or expose people they support to levels of staffing that are not going to deliver the safety you’re required to. There’s the inevitability that in some areas, if you can’t get the staff, then there will be care homes that close.”