More than quarter of care home residents yet to receive booster shot as fears grow over Omicron super variant

MORE than a quarter of care home residents haven’t yet had a booster jab amid fears of an Omicron surge, new data showed.

NHS England figures show just 72 per cent of residents have had a third jab despite being some of the most vulnerable in the UK.

Boris Johnson claimed on November 15 that 80 percent of care home residents had received three vaccine injections.

But charities and care providers questioned that figure and fear younger age groups are now being prioritised.

The rollout of third jabs was extended to all over-18s this week after being opened to over-40s on November 15, with the time between a second and third jab slashed from six months to three.

It comes as the PM vowed to “turbocharge” the booster programme as he had his jab yesterday – and he urged Brits to join The Sun’s Jab’s Army again.

New data showed booster jabs should protect Brits from falling seriously unwell from the Omicron variant, with Pfizer or Moderna – the vaccines used in Britain”s booster programme – triggering the biggest rise in Covid antibodies.

Gavin Terry, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society, told The Telegraph: “We’re still haunted by the absolute devastation inflicted upon care home residents in 2020.

“Worrying new data showing that over a quarter of people in care homes are yet to have their booster jab is providing further cause for concern.

“Given the Prime Minister announced on November 15 that 80 per cent of eligible older people in care homes had received a booster, it’s clear that last month’s data did not provide an accurate picture of what was really happening.”

He added: “The promise to offer jabs to all people living in care homes by November 1 is also now long overdue.

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“We’re left wondering whether the vaccination drive in care homes has ground to a halt to make way for lower risk groups before the Government has met its promise to the most vulnerable.”

More than 39,000 care home residents in England died from Covid between April 2020 and March 2021.

But health provides fear the death toll is “thousands” higher than official figures from independent regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Figures yesterday showed cases at a five-month high of 53,945 as Omicron continues to spread.

‘CAUSE FOR CONCERN’

Scientists believe one in every 300 new cases here are caused by the mutant super-strain, which was first reported by South Africa to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on November 24.

More than 19 million Brits, or a third of those aged over 12, have had a booster as the government extended eligibility , but care experts claim care-home residents aren’t being prioritised as they were in the first two vaccine rounds.

Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, said: “The booster rollout in care homes has been much more patchy than the first and second jabs. There doesn’t seem to be the same conviction.

“A lot of GPs are not on board anymore because they have other priorities, and that has been a problem for us.

The booster rollout in care homes has been much more patchy than the first and second jabs

Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association

“It was much more consistent when the GP surgeries were involved.

“We have pharmacies instead, and sometimes they don’t turn up on the agreed date or they don’t have supply of the vaccine.”

Doctors’ union the British Medical Association has said some GP practices opted out of the booster rollout due to the increased workload.

Practices and pharmacists that take part in the booster programme are now set to be paid £15 per vaccine dose, up from £12.58 previously.

Mr Johnson hopes to offer all adults over the age of 18 a booster by the end of January.