Unvaccinated care worker feels 'betrayed' over losing job

A care worker who lost his job due to the decision to make vaccines mandatory for staff says he feels "betrayed" and "shunned".

Dave Kelly, 32, started working for a care home in the North West after coming back to the UK at the start of the pandemic.

The Merseyside native said he took the job to "do my bit of good for people", and has only had three weeks off.

However, he has lost his job due to the Government's deadline for all care home staff in England to be doubled jabbed, unless medically exempt, from Thursday.

Mr Kelly said he had become close with the residents and families that use the care home, and had received cards and gifts from them.

"I previously worked as a guide over in Asia but now I am sitting in front of gifts and thank you cards from over 40 families I helped this last two years and still take out family members who have lost a loved one in our care," he said.

He added that he was "most annoyed" at being forced to leave the service now when he had worked through the pandemic without PPE.

"I am most annoyed at how we have been allowed to work the front lines with little to no protection the entire time, yet as of tomorrow we are now an instant danger?" he said.

The government say vaccination offers the best protection against Covid 19 both for staff and care home residents.

From 11 November 2021, all care home workers, and anyone entering a care home, will need to be fully vaccinated, unless they are exempt under the regulations.

Full details of the vaccine mandate rules for care home staff can be found here.