Care homes prepare for Covid-19 vaccine rollout with hope of family visits returning soon

• Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Paul Brand

Care homes across the country have been preparing to inoculate their residents against Covid-19 with the hope family visits can resume as soon as possible.

The government and the NHS has been gearing up to rollout vaccinations for Covid-19 across the country after a spate of successful trials raised hopes they could be ready before the new year.

The rollout will present a significant logistical operation and the government has conceded it will be some time until everyone who needs one has got one.

The government has prioritised the elderly and the most vulnerable to be the first people who get the vaccines.

With the outbreaks and deaths in care homes being one of the worst consequences of the pandemic, many are already preparing for the incoming vaccines.

All but one of the residents at The Hamiltons Care Home in Atherton caught Covid-19 last month.

Deputy Manager Carol Fisher told ITV News: "It was bad, it was awful, you've got to go home knowing that all the clients have tested positive and you might not see them again."

She said: "We need that vaccine, we need something because it just spreads like wildfire."

The Chapel House care home in Neston has been told by GPs to seek permission from the families of their clients for them to get vaccinated.

Manager Jackie Jones told ITV News: "The families get really excited and I think the family's expectation of 'as soon as the vaccine is in place then we can open up and have visits' and we so desperately want that for our families but we've got to make sure the evidence says it's safe."

• Mother and daughter hold hands for first time in eight months thanks to care home testing pilot

• Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledges billions to get people back in work as UK debt grows

• Covid: One sixth of unpaid carers spending 40 more hours a week caring due to pandemic

"We'd like to know which vaccination it is, we'd like to know the side effects of the vaccination."

Although the rollout is coming, there is still a tough few months ahead for the UK.

The government announced its Christmas plan to allow families to be reunited over Christmas on Tuesday.

The plan says people aged over 65 in care homes will not be able to join their families for Christmas.

The UK recorded 608 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the highest total since 12 May.

It reported 11,299 new cases of coronavirus, significantly down from the same time last week.

What you need to know about each vaccine:

• The University of Oxford and AstraZenica vaccine is up to 90% effective, can be stored at fridge temperature and is the cheapest, costing just £4 a dose. The UK government has ordered 100 million doses, with four million ready to go.

• The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has up to 95% efficacy when it comes to immunisation, requires to be stored at -70C degrees and will cost £15 a dose. The UK has ordered 40 million doses, 10 million of which will be available by the end of the the year.

• The Moderna vaccine is up to 94.5% effective, requires to be kept at -4C and will cost between £24 and £28 per dose. The UK has five million doses on order.

All three vaccines require two separate inoculations to be effective.