Social media slammed as care home workers say they WON’T be vaccinated

BOSSES ‘PULLING THEIR HAIR OUT’ THANKS TO ANTI-VAX CONSPIRACY THEORIES

CARE home bosses say as many as ‘60 per cent’ of their staff have warned they will refuse the Covid vaccine when it is rolled out.

Managers in care homes in Greater Manchester have been canvassing their colleagues ahead of the Pfizer vaccine being administered.

Both staff and residents are among the first in the queue on the Government roll-out agenda.

Now they have revealed signs of resistance when it comes to being at the frontier of this scientific breakthrough.

There are legitimate reasons not to have the vaccine – including allergies – and it is without doubt a very personal decision.

But one director of a home in Greater Manchester, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Manchester Evening News that 40 per cent of his staff – around 20 workers – plan to decline.

He added: “I’m pulling my hair out with staff throwing conspiracy theories at me.”

He said reasons ranged from people who are concerned about having an unknown substance in their body, to believing the vaccine will inject microchips into their arms or turn them into ‘Stepford Wives’.

He added: “It’s massively concerning to me as a care home manager and as a human being who wants this virus to be gone and done away with.

“I’ve got staff who say they worry about what they put in their body then go outside to the smoking shelter.”

Blaming social media campaigns for at least some of the uncertainty, he added: “You should not be allowed to complain about restrictions if you are not prepared to take the vaccine.

“We are never going to get there if people start prevaricating. It’s a concern that the conspiracy theories and anti-vaxxers are having an impact on the uptake.”

Nadra Ahmed, chairwoman of the National Care Association, said as many as 40pc of workers may opt against taking the jab.

Judy Downie, from the Relatives and Residents Association, said: “The vaccine has been tested on the same numbers of people that other vaccines have and it’s been validated by scientists who spend their lives promoting vaccines and have saved millions of people’s lives.

“It seems to me that it’s the social media claptrap that’s getting around. There needs to be a proper public information campaign by Public Health England because it’s much safer for workers to have the vaccine than residents.

“Residents are the vulnerable people – the workers are in their forties and fifties. It’s sad if they are not doing what is in their best interests and the interests of the people they care for.

“The evidence has always been it’s much more likely for the care workers, not the residents, to bring the virus into the care homes.”

But it’s not just staff refusing the vaccine – some managers are also dubious.

A care home boss in Trafford, who also asked not to be named, said 60pc of staff at her home had indicated they would refuse the vaccine – and she is among them.

She said: “I totally understand where my staff are coming from.

“I’ve had Covid so I have the antibodies. Myself and my deputies will not be having it.

“I just think there needs to be a bit more time before I’m willing to have it. I think the thing you have to remember is the vaccine isn’t a cure.

“You can still carry the virus, you can still get the virus. So it’s not going to change the minds of staff who don’t want it.”

Elsewhere in the sector, there’s a more positive take on the prgogramme.

Rachel Hind owns two care homes in Trafford – Faversham House and Brookfield Nursing Home. She intends to take the vaccine and is optimistic that the majority of staff and residents will join her.

She said: “We’ve had a lot of uncertainty and natural worry. But I’m having it and all the nurses are having it.

“So far all residents apart from two with allergies have agreed to have it and all their families have said they will have it.

“Relatives want to because of the vulnerability of our clients. Combined with rapid testing, we can slowly start to allow more visits with strict PPE measures.

“Everyone is justifiably worried but needs must. These are very strange, surreal times so we haven’t got much choice in this profession.

“Frontline workers are just going to have to give it the benefit of the doubt and go for it.”

Some 800,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to UK hospital hubs – enough for 400,000 people – but it is unclear when more doses will arrive from the manufacturer.

Current government plans are to vaccinate up to 25 million people with two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine throughout 2021.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Care home staff are on the front line, protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and we know by getting vaccinated they will be helping protect as many people from coronavirus.

“The NHS will provide advice and information at every possible opportunity to support those getting the vaccine and to anyone who might have questions about the vaccination process.”

Frontline workers are just going to have to give it the benefit of the doubt and go for it. Rachel Hind, who owns two care homes in Trafford