Completely virus-free New Mills care home to receive vaccine next week

The landmark moment comes nine-and-half months after Watford House Residential Home locked down to all visitors - a week ahead of the rest of the country on March 23.

On January 11 two advanced nurse practitioners will visit the home - immunising 34 residents and 40 staff with the Oxford vaccine.

Manager Carinna Mycock was given the news on Tuesday this week - saying: “I was a bit concerned about people coming into the home but families all gave their consent straight away.”

However Carinna, who understands it takes 28 days for the body to immunise against coronavirus, says strict infection measures at the home will remain in place.

Ever since Watford House closed its doors to visitors on March 16 ‘dedicated’ staff have worn PPE at all times - including out in public and to and from work.

Carinna, 36, says the home’s zero-rate of cases is a testament to workers’ sacrifices - adhering strictly to guidelines by not socialising with anyone outside their homes since the first lockdown.

However she believes by locking down a week earlier than most other homes Watford House was ‘ahead of the game’.

She said: “The company could see something serious was brewing and I think locking down earlier paid off - I think we were ahead of the game and that helped us.

“There have been so many times we were convinced we were going to get Covid and we wonder how we got away with it.

“We are very rural but this far down the line it’s safe to say it wasn’t luck and it was down to good management and the dedication of the staff.

“The staff really love the residents and the thought of bringing something in here that might harm them was enough to scare them.”

Residents - who range from 65 to 99 years old and are mostly in the advanced stages of dementia - have for the most part been completely unaware of the pandemic.

Although the home has installed a Covid-secure visiting room with a floor-to-ceiling glass partition - which allowed loved ones to visit on Christmas Eve.

Mum-of-two Carinna said: “Their day-to-day lives haven’t really changed as not many would leave the home anyway.”

However the manager says once all have received the jab safety procedures at the home will remain the same.

She said: “We won’t be welcoming people in or getting rid of PPE - there’s not enough information about how long it takes to be fully-immunised.”

Speaking about the vaccine Carinna said: “There’s talk of a booster jab after three months but we’re just following advice from clinicians.

“Some of the staff have had queries about the vaccine because it’s been passed through so quickly but they’re all 100 per cent behind it.

“I personally feel privileged to be having it - I’m 36 with no underlying health conditions so I’m very lucky.”

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