MORE THAN 22% of Covid-19 related deaths in Berkshire have happened in care homes.
Yesterday, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the latest data which shows that up until Friday, April 24, 64 people have died in Berkshire care homes with the virus.
This is 22.2% of all documented Covid-19 deaths, at 292 for the county.
UNISON, the UK’s largest union, who represent 1.3 million workers, has said that care workers feel terrified of contracting the virus.
UNISON South East regional secretary, Steve Torrance said: “Social care has become the new front line in the fight against Covid-19. We can’t allow this hidden death toll to keep accelerating as it is right now.
“If more evidence is needed of the government’s chaotic handling of the Covid-19 crisis, you just need to look at these figures.
“The number of coronavirus deaths in the region’s care homes has tripled in the space of a week.
“Care workers tell UNISON every single day they feel forgotten and let down massively.
“There’s still widespread confusion among workers and employers over what equipment they should have and continuing problems getting it in the first place.
“Carers are terrified they’ll contract the virus, spread it to service users or vulnerable family members.
“Public Health England has to urgently clarify its guidance for the care sector and the government has to get its act together immediately if we are to prevent more lives being lost needlessly.”
And the Local Government Association has called for the online PPE ordering system to be launched as soon as possible.
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board said: “It is truly shocking to see how many of the most elderly and vulnerable in our communities have died from this dreadful disease.
“Every death from this virus is a tragedy. This is being exacerbated by the fact some social care staff and other frontline workers still lack the necessary PPE to protect themselves and the people they care for from contracting coronavirus.
“Social care is now the frontline in the fight against coronavirus and we need to do all we can to shield people in care homes and those receiving care in their own homes.
“It is urgent that the Government’s online PPE ordering system is fully rolled out as soon as possible, so that councils and care providers can directly request that critical protective equipment gets to those who desperately need it.
“This has to be alongside an increase in rapid and comprehensive testing and in other kinds of support to care homes, such as staffing and equipment, on an equal footing with the NHS. Councils stand ready to play their part in this and are already doing so in many places.
“We are also yet to see the peak of the stress on the social care system, due to the delay between hospital admissions and discharge, which will require the need to start shifting capacity across from hospitals and into the community to meet a surge in demand.”
