Care home Covid cases TRIPLE in a month: MOST outbreaks are among elderly residents

Covid outbreaks in care homes have more than trebled in a month meaning infection levels are now similar to the peak of the first wave amid growing fears residents are not being given the vaccine fast enough. 

Date from Public Health England (PHE) reveals that in the week to January 14, there were 977 outbreaks of respiratory conditions in care homes with 739 confirmed as Covid. This is the second highest weekly total since records began in April.

By comparison, in the week ending December 17, there were just 305 outbreaks with 227 confirmed as Covid. Back in mid-April last year, there were 1,239 outbreaks in a week with 651 confirmed as Covid.

As UK vaccinations hit 3million yesterday, Boris Johnson‘s Government has pledged that every care home resident will be vaccinated by the end of the month.

But the Daily Telegraph has claimed that there is a problem with the rollout with 100 residents getting a jab in the same time 1,000 people are vaccinated in the community.

Adam Briggs, senior fellow at The Health Foundation, told the newspaper: ‘The rise in reported care home incidents is deeply concerning. Care homes cannot be neglected again.’ 

Care home resident Joan Potts, aged 102, speaks to Dr. Jane Allen before receiving her first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Wimbledon Beaumont Care Home, run by Barchester, in south west London

A further 48,682 cases were reported today, bringing the country's overall pandemic total to 3,292,014 - up 1,157 on yesterday but crucially down 3,936 from last Thursday's data

A further 48,682 cases were reported today, bringing the country’s overall pandemic total to 3,292,014 – up 1,157 on yesterday but crucially down 3,936 from last Thursday’s data

Deaths in the past 24 hours rose by 1,248 - a 7.4 per cent climb from last week's 1,162 - bringing the UK's grim fatality toll to 86,015

Deaths in the past 24 hours rose by 1,248 – a 7.4 per cent climb from last week’s 1,162 – bringing the UK’s grim fatality toll to 86,015

Are GPs holding up care homes blitz?

Covid outbreaks in care homes are rising amid fears that GPs are reluctant to vaccinate residents in settings with positive cases.

There were 977 suspected outbreaks in care homes reported in the seven days to January 10 – up from 749 the week before, Public Health England data shows.

The surging cases show officials are in a race to vaccinate the most vulnerable or risk a repeat of the thousands of deaths in the first wave. NHS England has urged GPs to administer jabs to care home residents by the end of next week ‘at the latest’.

Payments have been upped to £30 for vaccines delivered in care homes by the end of this week, and £20 for each jab next week. But relatives of some residents have complained that GPs are avoiding care homes with cases.

Joanna Henwood, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, said her 96-year-old father is still waiting to receive the jab in his Devon care home following an outbreak on January 4.

She said staff told her that GPs would administer jabs only once the outbreak had cleared.

NHS guidelines state that GPs are still expected to visit homes where there are cases.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said doctors are working hard to ensure care homes receive their jabs. 

This week, we revealed almost 13 of the 28 care home providers we spoke to were currently battling coronavirus cases in their homes.

On top of that, homes are once again under pressure to accept covid-positive patients directly from hospitals.

This was blamed for the high rate of Covid infections in homes during the last peak.

Last night, Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group, condemned the latest figures.

Mr Padgham, whose four care homes have also been forced to accept patients from hospitals, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘It’s shocking to see these figures. It’s great that we’ve got vaccines but they’ve come too slowly.’

NHS England announced yesterday that all care home residents are expected to be vaccinated by the end of this week, or by January 24 ‘at the latest’. 

Covid outbreaks in care homes are rising amid fears that GPs are reluctant to vaccinate residents in settings with positive cases.

There were 977 suspected outbreaks in care homes reported in the seven days to January 10 – up from 749 the week before, Public Health England data shows.

The surging cases show officials are in a race to vaccinate the most vulnerable or risk a repeat of the thousands of deaths in the first wave. NHS England has urged GPs to administer jabs to care home residents by the end of next week ‘at the latest’.

Payments have been upped to £30 for vaccines delivered in care homes by the end of this week, and £20 for each jab next week. But relatives of some residents have complained that GPs are avoiding care homes with cases.

Joanna Henwood, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, said her 96-year-old father is still waiting to receive the jab in his Devon care home following an outbreak on January 4.

She said staff told her that GPs would administer jabs only once the outbreak had cleared.

NHS guidelines state that GPs are still expected to visit homes where there are cases.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said doctors are working hard to ensure care homes receive their jabs.

One in ten residents in Scotland are not being vaccinated when the jab is taken to care homes, a health board has revealed.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde yesterday said all its care home residents have been offered the vaccine and 6,019 residents have received it.

But it also said just under 10 per cent of residents were unable to get the vaccine due to ‘issues such as ill health’.

Another health board, NHS Fife, said it had taken the jab to all its care homes and around 5,000 staff and residents received the first dose. But it is estimated that hundreds more did not receive it.