East Riding health boss: Vaccinated care home resident catches Covid-19
They were asymptomatic and it's the only one confirmed out of 140 homes.
A resident of an East Riding care home caught coronavirus despite having both doses of the vaccine, the council’s care lead has said.
East Riding Council’s Adults, Health and Customer Services Director John Skidmore told councillors the coronavirus case, the only one confirmed in the area’s 140 homes, was asymptomatic.
The director added it came as homes were facing staffing issues due to rising numbers having to self-isolate and others leaving the sector for jobs in retail and elsewhere.
It comes as Mr Skidmore told the Health, Care and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee requests for home care packages had risen by 25 per cent since March.
The director said it came as families had become increasingly “anxious” about moving relatives into care homes in light of outbreaks seen in them during the pandemic.
He added it came as case numbers rose “significantly” in the East Riding in recent weeks as hospitals also faced rising demand while working to clear procedure and treatment backlogs.
Councillors heard care homes and council facilities including leisure centres would either keep some restrictions in place or advise visitors to follow them after Monday, July 19.
Mr Skidmore said the “proportionate” approach would follow a “significant” rise in coronavirus cases in the East Riding in recent weeks.
Mr Skidmore said:
“The individual in the care home had had two vaccine doses, they were asymptomatic but tested positive for coronavirus.
“As infections rise we will find people for who the vaccine doesn’t work, so we need to keep measures in place in the homes to protect the vulnerable.
“We know people want to see their loved ones, but we won’t be opening our doors fully.
“Demand pressures across the health and care sectors have significant, that’s something we’re seeing not only here but both regionally and nationally.
“Mental health services are seeing increasing complexity and acuity and cases with the impact of the pandemic, including among children and adolescents.
“We also have a number of people still furloughed or receiving income support, some of them will need help they’ve never required before.”
Councillors also heard around 66,000 calls have been made to clinically extremely vulnerable residents and others to support and advise them during the pandemic.
Council Health and Wellbeing Group Manager Lou Adams told the committee staff spent more than an hour talking to one woman after she told them she was suicidal.
The officer added the woman was later referred to council adult safeguarding teams.
Ms Adams also told councillors the membership of East Riding leisure centres had roughly halved from around 18,000 before the pandemic to a low of 9,500 during it.
She added numbers were now recovering with numbers at about 10,500 as officials prepare to launch a drive to encourage former members to return and new ones to join.
The officer said:
“The lifting of restrictions on Monday, July 19 is a worry for us in leisure centres, even after they won’t be quite at full capacity.
“That’s because our priority is keeping our staff and customers safe, so we’ll be keeping perspex screens up and asking visitors to socially distance and wear masks but we can’t make it happen.”