The proposal is being dismissed in some quarters, but for some older people in England it could be a lifeline
One of the abiding memories of the early days of the pandemic was care homes ravaged by coronavirus. A year on, the government has launched a consultation that could lead to staff in facilities for older people in England being required to have a Covid-19 vaccine in a bid to protect vulnerable residents.
This would have been a last resort for ministers. It is uncomfortable to mandate any form of healthcare, and more so when you consider it’s disproportionately people of colour and those from deprived backgrounds who are hesitant about the jab. Yet several months on since the vaccine rollout started, evidence shows outreach to reluctant carers isn’t getting through: staff vaccination rates are still below 70% in 27 different local authorities in England despite care workers being in the highest priority category for the jabs. Only about half of care homes have enough people vaccinated to provide minimum protection against the virus. That’s the equivalent of 150,000 older people who are currently unsafe.
