Why are care homes being so badly hit?

[ssd]

I know the elderly are very vulnerable and PPE is inadequate, but is there any other reasons? How is covid happening in all these care homes?

@Keepdistance,
A lot of residents are already on a combination of calcium and Vitamin D3 tablets (Adcal supplements) or Fultium (vit D3) capsules or drops but this is always subject to their blood results and co-morbidities as these are prescribed.
I don't think there is enough evidence to support giving vitamin D supplements as a preventative en masse so I don't think GPs attached to care homes would go for it.

@8dayweek, not a lottery as such. Does depend on how busy/efficient the hospital is and on the nursing home and local CCG/health protection team policy. I think approaches to care homes and testing have changed massively from March to now. It's now easier to get testing done for care home residents at the hospital and in the community regardless of symptoms.

And most nursing homes (I would hope) will implement a two-week isolation policy for all residents returning from hospital--this means full PPE (aprons, mask, face shield or goggles and gloves) and limiting amount of staff going in.

I don't know what a care home dismisser is?

LangClegsInSpace those requirements are what I referenced at the top of the thread, so stark isn't it? "We will send them out into the community regardless". Then those in power say oh my what a tragedy boo hoo and pretty much deny what happened even though docs like
LangClegsInSpace's are in the public domain.

I saw something earlier about mental health units being over run as well, by cv19.

Thank you.
I wonder if those ones are less likely to get severely ill.
There is mounting evidence that vit d reduces severity.

I saw something earlier about mental health units being over run as well, by cv19.

Yes, it's extremely difficult to stop it spreading rapidly in any residential community setting. Prisons have been hit badly too, and several cruise ships of course.

That's why you do everything possible to prevent it getting into shared residential settings in the first place. Especially when the setting is full of people who are the least likely to survive.

This is incredibly basic stuff.