No compulsory Covid jabs for care home staff in Wales says government

The UK government is to make coronavirus vaccinations compulsory for care home staff who work with elderly and vulnerable people, according to reports today.

Ministers in England are reportedly preparing to announce that care home workers will be required to have mandatory coronavirus vaccines.

The Welsh government has said it doesn’t need to introduce “compulsory measures” in Wales.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “While Covid vaccination rates are at such high levels in this group, and in other priority groups and age groups in Wales, we do not see the need at this time to introduce compulsory measures.

“We will continue to work with the sector to promote the importance of vaccination and support any care workers who have not yet been vaccinated to get a vaccine.”

“Protecting our most vulnerable people in care homes is at the heart of our response to the pandemic and vaccine strategy.”

“More than 92 per cent of staff working in older people’s care homes have had a first dose of a vaccine and 85 per cent have had a second dose.”

“We will continue to work with the care home sector to vaccinate staff and residents and to keep staff and residents safe.”

Latest figures from Betsi Cadwalader Health Board, published on Tuesday, show that 92 per cent of people working in older people’s care homes in Flintshire have had a first dose of a vaccine and 82 per cent have had a second dose.”