Jersey health staff hope to vaccinate 1,000 care home residents this week

They will receive their second jab 21 days after the first. Credit: ITV News

Jersey's government hopes to have given all care home residents their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine by the end of the week.

So far, 470 of the island's 1,000 care home residents have received their first jab - with their second vaccination due 21 days later.

On Sunday 13 December, 87-year-old Beryl Taylor became the first person to receive the vaccine in the Channel Islands at a care home in Jersey. Nurses described the first day of the rollout as 'momentous'.

Vaccines will also be provided to vulnerable islanders at Les Amis, with any doses left after this initial round of vaccines being given to care home staff to prevent them having to travel for vaccination.

Anyone who who tests positive for Covid-19 cannot be vaccinated for at least four weeks after their positive result. Residents who want to be vaccinated but cannot be vaccinated this week will be visited again by health staff.

Care home and home care staff will receive the jab on schedule, after the latest batch of 1,950 doses arrived into the island. They are currently being stored in the ultra-low temperature freezer and will be given at the Fort Regent, which has been set up as a mass-vaccination hub.