04 February 2021

Nine in 10 eligible care home residents have received Covid vaccine

04 February 2021

Nine in 10 eligible residents of older adult care homes have had their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, figures show.

The remainder of eligible residents – 23,561 – have not received a coronavirus vaccine, NHS data on the vaccination programme shows.

NHS England said the number of eligible residents includes a small number of residents at care homes currently undergoing an outbreak and which cannot yet be visited for vaccination, along with residents who did not receive the vaccine for valid medical reasons, and those for whom consent had not been provided.

It excludes residents who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 28 days and on clinical grounds should not currently receive the vaccine.

People aged 80+ who have received first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. (PA Graphics)

It is the first time that care homes have been included in the vaccine data and follows an announcement by NHS England saying that figures were expected on Monday.

As of the end of January 31, 236,499 residents had received their first jab, out of 260,060 who were eligible for the vaccine – a total of 90.9%.

The data shows that there were 92 homes where local health teams had advised vaccination was not appropriate, meaning 99.1% of the 10,413 eligible care homes in England have been visited.

The data release did not specify how many eligible residents live in these 92 homes, how many did not receive the vaccine for valid medical reasons or those for whom consent had not been provided.

It also does not show how many residents or staff have been offered a vaccine, or refused one.

Cumulative Covid-19 vaccinations in the UK. (PA Graphics)

A spokesman for the NHS said: “The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in health service history, is off to a strong start, with every eligible care home receiving a visit, and more than nine in 10 of their residents having received a life-saving jab.

“Teams across the country are working hard to vaccinate remaining residents where public health authorities had previously said it would be unsafe to do so.

“In all, more than nine million people have been vaccinated at more than 1,500 places across the country, from pharmacies and GP surgeries to community settings like cinemas, places of worship and supermarkets.”

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