A former care worker broke down in tears after losing her job because she hadn't been vaccinated against Covid-19. Watch here:
Louise Akester has worked in the care sector for 14 years but had her contract terminated after she refused to get jabbed, according to Hull Live, with the Government making it mandatory for staff in adult care homes in England to be double jabbed by Thursday (11 November), unless medically exempt.
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In a teary video shared on TikTok - which has been viewed more than 200,000 times - the 36-year-old said: "That's the hardest thing I've ever had to do, saying goodbye to everybody, all the people that I've cared for, for so long, the people I've worked with.
"It's been so emotional, this is so unfair.
"I just can't believe what the bloody government is doing to us, I just don't get it, I don't understand."
She added: "I'm literally heartbroken and the residents in there are crying their eyes out.
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"I can't do it. This is awful."
She posted the video with the caption '#againstcovidvaccine'.
The regulations also cover any worker, including NHS staff, tradespeople and inspectors, who needs to enter a care home as part of their employment.
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But residents and their visitors, or people who need to enter the residence to provide emergency assistance or urgent maintenance, or under-18s will not need to show proof of vaccination.
Around 89.4 percent of staff working in older age care homes had received two vaccine doses as of 31 October, according to data from NHS England.
The remaining 49,040 staff - around one in 10 of the total - had not been recorded as having received two doses at this point.
The equivalent figure for staff in care homes for under-65s is 13.6 percent - 11,924 staff.
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This suggests a total of 60,964 staff have not had a second jab or their second jab has not been reported as of the end of October.
The total includes staff who cannot be vaccinated for valid medical reasons and those whose vaccination status is unknown, while there may also be a time lag in some vaccinations being reported.
Sector leaders fear an exodus of care staff which they warn will threaten safe care.
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Adam Purnell, director of social care at the Institute of Health and Social Care Management, said it will be 'horrific' for the sector to lose so many staff so suddenly, and that residents in some settings will be at risk.
He accused the Government of a 'severe lack of listening and understanding' over the potential impacts of the policy, which care bodies have been warning of for months.
He said: "People are on the edge, I think business viability is a major concern moving forward.
"If we're talking about protecting the NHS throughout the winter, to protect the NHS we need a fully functioning social care service, which we're not going to have."
Announcing the new law in June, former health secretary Matt Hancock said: "Vaccines save lives and while staff and residents in care homes have been prioritised and the majority are now vaccinated we need to do everything we can to keep reducing the risk.
"Through our consultation we have listened to the experiences and concerns of providers and people living and working in care homes to help shape our approach.
"We have a responsibility to do all we can to safeguard those receiving care including in the NHS and so will be consulting further on whether to extend to other health and social care workers.
"This is the right thing to do and a vitally important step to continue protecting care homes now and in the future. I'd urge anyone working in care homes to get their jab as soon as possible."
Topics: UK News, Coronavirus, Covid-19