Older adults living in our care homes have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because of their heightened risk to COVID-19 infection, as well as the risk of outbreaks in these closed settings.
Ensuring very high levels of vaccination of people living and working in these settings is really important to keep residents safe. While vaccination uptake rates are increasing slowly week on week, there are still a high number of older adult care homes which do not have the level of protection needed to reduce the risk of outbreak.
To increase vaccine take up, the government is considering amending the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
This would mean older adult care home providers could only use those staff who have received the COVID-19 vaccination (or those with a legitimate medical exemption) in line with government guidance.
There is a consultation seeking the public's views on this, which runs until Friday 21 May 2021. You can have your say HERE.