UK says COVID vaccine mandatory for care home workers

The UK House of Commons voted to make COVID vaccination mandatory for care home workers, who will need two doses to continue working from October

The House of Commons voted 319 votes to 246 in favour of the pro-vaccine move, which was predicted a month ago. 

On 13 July, Greece and France made COVID vaccination mandatory for healthcare workers, following the precedent set by Italy. Now, the UK is the next to make the COVID vaccine mandatory for workers in Care Quality Commission-registered homes.

In May, Public Health England (PHE) released a report looking at the COVID-related deaths in care homes, from January to October, 2020. In this document, they reveal that 43,398 COVID-positive individuals were knowingly sent back into the care homes they came to hospital from.

The report further commented: “Whilst our analysis identified relatively small numbers of outbreaks potentially seeded from hospital-acquired infections, the potential for their preventability and the ensuing impact on the care homes, their residents, families and staff must be fully acknowledged.”

The change in vaccination law is being met with mixed reactions, from both right and left-wing observers.

Conservative MP William Wragg, expressing regret at the vote, said: “The government is treating this House with utter contempt. Ninety minutes on a statutory instrument to fundamentally change the balance of human rights in this country is nothing short of a disgrace.”

SAGE predict more deaths in over-70s with double-jabs

According to the latest SAGE modelling, a further 9,400 to 115,800 people will die by 1 June, 2022. The scientists believe that vaccine efficacy, even in double-jabbed individuals over the age of 70, will waver against Delta and other variants – leading to a rise in deaths. The level of death will depend on the R rate, as the UK exits all lockdown measures.

Care homes will be a central place for tensions as infection levels rise again.

The COVID vaccine will be mandatory for visitors to the care home.

Dr Tamara Konetzka, senior author on a study looking at care home infection rates in the US, said: “Large nursing homes can have several residents per room and staff must go room to room to give care. COVID-19 is a perfect storm where it doesn’t matter if a nursing home is high-or low-quality; all patients are at risk.”