Hundreds of care home staff in Coventry and Warwickshire miss Covid jab deadlineHundreds of care home staff in Coventry and Warwickshire appear to have missed the deadline for getting a mandatory Covid vaccination.
From November 11 all care home workers - and anyone entering a care home - will need to be fully vaccinated, unless exempt.
In order for those covered by the regulations to be vaccinated in time, they must have had their first jab by September 16.
In Coventry, 93.1 per cent of staff working in older adult care homes - or 2,037 people - had received their first vaccination by the week ending September 19.
However, that leaves 152 people working in those homes who hadn’t had their first jab by the deadline.
Among those working in younger adult care homes, 90.3 per cent of staff had received their first vaccination by September 19. That left 27 people not vaccinated in time.
In Warwickshire, 5,193 workers (95.5 per cent) in older adult care homes had received their first dose by the week ending September 19, leaving 247 who hadn't.
For those working in younger adult care homes, 94.6 per cent of staff had their first vaccination by September 19. That left 55 people not vaccinated in time.
As the deadline for getting the jab arrived, UNISON warned of catastrophic staff shortages unless the mandatory jab policy was dropped.
It said there were more than 112,000 vacancies in care and the government itself had predicted the loss of 40,000 to 70,000 workers because of its 'no jab, no job' care homes policy.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Everyone that can have the vaccine, should have the vaccine. But the government has persisted with a heavy-handed approach despite warnings from care employers of the dire consequences.
“This move is damaging a sector already on its knees and undermining trust in the vaccine. If roles can’t be filled, the level and volume of care offered will be reduced. Vaccine-hesitant staff must be offered reassurance and persuasion, not threats and ultimatums.
“Instead of encouraging much-needed recruitment into care, the government is actively driving experienced staff away. It’s not too late for ministers to admit the error of their ways and bring care back from the precipice.”