Staff from the Talbot Medical Centre delivered the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to around 160 residents and staff at the Great Oaks care home on Poole Lane, Bournemouth. Each person who received the vaccine was then given a card with the date for the second dose.

Mike Lyons, managing director of Encore Care Homes, said, “We have been eagerly awaiting this event since the first lockdown last year, so it is a great relief and an uplifting moment to see the vaccination process being delivered to both our employees and residents.”

Boris Johnson, announced earlier this month that all care home residents across the UK would be offered a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of January, with all care home staff set to be vaccinated by mid-February.

Speaking after having the vaccine, Sarah Diffey, electronic care planning manager, said, “We have been waiting a long time for this. It has been an anxious few months in the care home environment.  It’s good to know that after the second dose, we will have up to 95 per cent protection against COVID-19.”

Great Oaks resident, Noel Morris, 85, said, “I’d like to put my hand on the shoulder of anyone unsure about having the vaccine and say that it’s worthwhile and painless. It didn’t take me long to realise the value of this vaccine. I sincerely hope that it helps us. In the future, I hope life goes back to normal so that people can go wherever they want, when they want.”

As well as weekly Covid-19 tests for residents and staff, Encore Care Homes has also introduced Lateral Flow testing for the team, which provides results within 30 minutes.