The care sector on the Isle of Wight may be stretched further as the deadline approaches for care staff to be fully vaccinated.
In August this year, the government announced all those working in care homes, including local authority-owned establishments, would need to have at least 2 COVID vaccines by 11th November, unless they were exempt.
If any person, including a staff member, is not double jabbed they will be refused entry into the care home.
The Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, Councillor Karl Love, said some providers on the Island have already adjusted bed numbers to account for staffing pressures, which means fewer spaces are available for those being discharged from hospital.
Latest figures from NHS England show how many care staff have been fully vaccinated across different areas of the care sector: 95% of younger adult care home staff, 77%of domiciliary care staff and only 54% of carers in other settings, such as non-registered settings and local authority employed carers.
The council is monitoring effects on the already-stretched care sector.
With just over a week to go until the deadline, Cllr Love stressed the importance of carers getting vaccinated — although they will not be forced to get one.
Speaking at a meeting of the local outbreak engagement board on Wednesday, Cllr Love said:
“Care staff please get vaccinated: we need you, we value you, we care for you but the evidence is vaccination overwhelmingly works and we need to protect everybody in our care.
“It is not us trying to force you but it is something that is important for your own health and the lives of people we care for.”
A campaign has been launched this week by the government to build a ‘bigger and better’ adult social care workforce, encouraging more people to apply for a roles in the sector.
Care staff please get vaccinated: we need you, we value you, we care for you
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Councillor Love – if the above statement was true, then you would have said to yourself “the residents are jabbed, which means they are provided the hoped for protection against serious illness and death. They are not at risk from the carers or visitors, so there is no need for the staff or visitors to be jabbed to enter the home.”
the government and your apparent caring for the staff is completely at odds with the actions you are taking – that being sacking them, depriving them of their ability to earn a living and depriving the residents of care.
Rubbish everybody knows that if you are double dosed you have lower risk of passing the virus on. I would not want to be treated by somebody who has not been injected.
wrong – the viral loads in vaccinated and unvaccinated have already been demonstrated to be the same – transmission is just as likely in both categories.
I support every carer that leaves the profession, over forced medical procedure as a condition of employment. As the vaccine doesn’t stop transmission or a person getting it, then demanding that people have it, is coercion and more about control than anything else.
carers were seen as hero’s during the pandemic and this is how they are repaid – with the sack, so that they cannot pay their bills, feed their families because they won’t do what some arrogant politician tells them to do.
as there will be less carers, there will be less space at care homes, this means more bed blocking in the NHS and more old people dying in their homes, alone.
You are correct.
I have 3 relatives who are still suffering side effects from the vaccine and 2 are on medication
It’s been months now.
Taking a test is the safer answer.
Whether jabbed or unjabbed people can still catch or spread covid, also the vaccines wane after so many months.
So what more protection does a vaccinated person offer to a person than a person who takes a test.
The vaccinated person may have covid.
Look how many MP’s who have allegedly been vaccinated have tested positive for covid.
Seems odd to force the jab onto people, as those who have had both jabs can still catch, carry and transmit the virus to the vulnerable.
Would be better to insist all have to have a test every day if working with such people surely?
I have had both jabs, but I understand those who don’t wish to be jabbed for a new virus and new vaccine both of which have not had enough time to gauge any unknown or unexpected reactions further down the line.
It should be peoples choice.
Covid 19 is not going to disappear even if everyone has had two jabs, I’m still waiting for someone to explain to me how care workers will be sacked for not having both jabs yet anyone with a family member in the care home or company repairing or delivering have not gotta have the vaccine how does that make any sense? Anyone who thinks a jab will make life go back to normal is deluded…everyone has a choice it should be everyone or choice
If the care home staff do not want to get vaccinated why done they just leave and get a job with the NHS?
Is Karl Love a Medical Professional!