‘Big increase’ in jabs for care home staff

THE Prime Minister has said there has been a recent “big increase” in the uptake of vaccinations by care home staff, as he announced that all older care home residents in England had been offered a jab.

Boris Johnson said that “virtually all” elderly care home residents had received their first coronavirus vaccination or been given an appointment for it. On a visit to a vaccination centre in Batley, West

Yorkshire, he said the take-up of the vaccine among care home staff has been “an issue” but the Government was “working fast” to sort it out.

His comments came as industry leaders said efforts to vaccinate care home workers should be stepped up.

Mr Johnson told reporters: “We’re working fast to sort it out and we’re now seeing a big increase in uptake in care home staff and that’s a great thing to see, and I’ve seen in the last few weeks a big increase in the receptivity of care home staff to the vaccinations.”

He added: “Although care home staff are certainly capable of spreading the disease, they’re in principle less likely to suffer it severely or to die.”