Care home among first to get Covid jab

Staff at two Sleaford care homes are among the first facilities in the county to benefit from the new Pfizer vaccine roll out in the UK.
Ashdene care home manager Jilly Hunt gets her vaccine jab from nursing staff at Lincoln. EMN-201214-192040001Ashdene care home manager Jilly Hunt gets her vaccine jab from nursing staff at Lincoln. EMN-201214-192040001
Ashdene care home manager Jilly Hunt gets her vaccine jab from nursing staff at Lincoln. EMN-201214-192040001

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust is one of the first 50 hubs across England to begin the mass vaccination programme after it was approved by regulators.

Health and care workers and the most clinically vulnerable and elderly are among the first in line to get the jabs as the UK rolls out the vaccine over the coming weeks and months.

Ashdene care home in Sleaford looks after some of the area’s most vulnerable older residents . Manager Jilly Hunt and some of her staff went to Lincoln County Hospital to be vaccinated on Monday.

84-year-old retired NHS worker Janet Judson from Lincoln was the first person in Lincolnshire to get the new COVID-19 vaccine. EMN-200912-18384100184-year-old retired NHS worker Janet Judson from Lincoln was the first person in Lincolnshire to get the new COVID-19 vaccine. EMN-200912-183841001
84-year-old retired NHS worker Janet Judson from Lincoln was the first person in Lincolnshire to get the new COVID-19 vaccine. EMN-200912-183841001

She said: “I got a telephone call from the senior contracting manager at Lincolnshire County Council to offer me 12 slots for staff and it took me five minutes to fill them - it is very exciting.

“There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.”

She had already discussed the vaccine with staff and shared slots among day and night shift workers and ancillary staff. The staff will join some from Oakdene care home in the town in being among the first care home staff in the county to get the jabs.

“It will be coming in-house for the residents but it is being done very carefully,” Jilly said. “You speak to a doctor, then have the vaccine and wait 15 minutes to see if it is OK. Lincolnshire County Council has got it organised amazingly well.

“Having spoken to my residents that are able to give consent they all want to grab it with both hands.”

Sleaford and North Hykeham MP, Dr Caroline Johnson, herself an NHS consultant paediatrician, said: “The over-80s, as well as care home workers, will be the first to receive the jab alongside NHS workers who are at higher risk. The vaccination programme has begun locally and 84 year old retired NHS worker Janet Judson was the first person in Lincolnshire to receive the jab last Tuesday. It is likely that by the end of April most people at the highest risk from coronavirus will be vaccinated.

“This vaccine is an unprecedented and phenomenal achievement. It represents a huge step forward on the path back to normality.”

The latest government data shows Lincolnshire’s infection rate for the most recent seven day period to be 251.6 per 100,000 of the population, compared to the England average of 166.3, meaning, although following a downward trend, the county is likely to remain in the tough Tier 3 restrictions when the government announces its review today (Wednesday).