Covid: Jersey care home residents get vaccine a day early
Residents in Jersey care homes are getting coronavirus vaccinations a day earlier than expected, the island's government has said.
Officials said the government made the call to start on Sunday rather than Monday "in view of the positive Covid cases in care homes". Homes saw a recent 400% increase, from four on Thursday to 19 by Saturday. There are 671 known active cases of the virus on the island and tests results are pending in 661 cases. A team of one doctor and several nurses is administering the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. The initial batch of just under 1,000 doses was to be given to care home residents as a first priority, the government said last week. Residents have been required to shield since Tuesday to avoid falling ill ahead of jabs and will require a second dose in about three weeks' time for the full treatment. Meanwhile, about 2,500 care home staff are due to receive their jabs at the Covid vaccination centre near Fort Regent from 21 December.