Tough times ahead for North Yorkshire care homes despite vaccine roll-out
Care homes in North Yorkshire are warning there are still tough times ahead despite the vaccination roll-out.
Care homes in North Yorkshire are warning there are still tough times ahead despite the vaccination roll-out.
The county's Independent Care Group says most staff and residents have had the jab.
Its Chair, Mike Padgham, who also owns Saint Cecilia's in Scarborough and Alba Rose in Pickering, said:
"The figures have been alarming in terms of what's been happening in London and the South East; and we know that's probably going to find its way to here in the North a little bit later on. We're a little bit behind in terms of the lag, but we know it's like waiting for a storm or a hurricane to come, you know it's on its way but it hasn't quite reached us yet so we have to be prepared.
"2021 hopes were high as the vaccines are here and that's great. But the public and ourselves have got to remember that that's only part of it. It takes time to get the vaccines out and when we do get it, we've got to have a second dose so I can see at least, towards the spring and summer, that we're not out of the woods yet. We've got to be on our guard.
"I've seen noticeably in the last sort of 72 hours that things have picked up speed, so I believe the Government's on target. It's quite an ambitious target of all cares home residents and staff to be vaccinated by the end of this month, then vulnerable people by mid-February and then I believe every adult by the Autumn, so it's a massive undertaking.
"The majority of the staff have now been vaccinated and the majority of residents have a little bit more to go yet. I think they feel relieved that they've got the first dose of the vaccine but as I said to them earlier this week about being cautious, just because you've had the first dose, don't let up when you're out."