Eastbourne care homes vaccination update

The survey was conducted by Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell whose team called 50 registered homes to find out how the vaccine rollout was going.

Of that total, 44 responded and, as of Monday (January 11), 26 said staff have received a vaccine or have a vaccination date booked, while 21 reported their residents have received the jab or have a date booked.

Mrs Ansell said, “I am very pleased with this progress as it very much appears the rollout is ramping up.

“The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was only given out to GPs last week so, in tandem with the Beacon Vaccination Hub, we have some real traction locally and I anticipate those care homes who have not yet received information about dates will do so in the coming days.

“But I am not complacent and I want any care home that isn’t confident about when and how its staff and residents will get the vaccines to get in touch with my office immediately and I will do all I can to ensure progress is made.

“We must get residents in care homes and their staff vaccinated as quickly as possible. It is an enormous logistical task but one that will, over the next few weeks, mean we can start to stop this infection in its tracks and save lives.”

The Department of Health and Social Care has said it is aiming for all care home residents to have been offered vaccines by the end of January.

Care homes are number one in the top four priority groups also including the over 70s, health and care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable who will all, according to the government, receive the vaccine by mid-February.