I wonder if they will scrap weekly PCR testing for care home staff?

[Candyflossie]

We've had weekly PCRs since July 2020 as well as all social care staff. This must add extra strain particularly at the moment. It's great that they are taking extra precautions for the most vulnerable but is it still needed now we've had compulsory vaccines and all residents are boosted?

Yes because not all homes are the same. Not all can get vaccinated (residents). My Nan is in assisted living and the amount of times her carers come in with their mask around their neck! She's CEV. Not saying all are like this but they seem to be like it there!

Of course they won't stop it for care home staff as they are looking after some of the most vulnerable people. Remember the first lockdown and how many died.

I hope not! My mum is in a care home which is locked down as it was the staff who had no symptoms and tested negative on LFT but positive on PCR just before Christmas. No visitors until end of January now.

No they won’t scrap it, but they will have to pay for it. With the cost going to residents.

I think it is wise to keep the testing, particularly with such contagious variants about.

@BluebellsGreenbells

No they won’t scrap it, but they will have to pay for it. With the cost going to residents.

? The cost of keeping themselves alive should pass to ... them?

I think they are slowly winding everything down to be honest. Which I think is wrong.
Isolation rules changing from 14 days to 10 to 7 full days with 2 negative tests and now released start of day 7 with 2 negatives. So really 6 days. Won’t be long before care homes have less and less protection I don’t think.

They won’t have less protection, they can have the same, they’ll just need to pay for it.

Of coarse the costs becomes the residences costs, same as trained staff, cleaners, any anyone else involved in care home costs.

LFT will continue I’ll take a guess until April.

LFT aren’t counted in official figures so the figures will drop.

Then they’ll stop reporting figures, unless something drastically changes.

@Slowfoxfast

Of course they won't stop it for care home staff as they are looking after some of the most vulnerable people. Remember the first lockdown and how many died.

Oh yes believe me I remember it!

I'm just wondering because of us all being boosted and with the government winding down testing.

Where I am it makes no difference if we are PCR tested or not, we have to be lft every day and PCR twice a week (we have a current outbreak in the home) but none of our PCR results have come back since 29th December.

@Atmywitsend29

Where I am it makes no difference if we are PCR tested or not, we have to be lft every day and PCR twice a week (we have a current outbreak in the home) but none of our PCR results have come back since 29th December.

Same happening with us too at the moment! By the time the tests results come back the staff have been working days in the home. Have you got residents positive or just staff. We have staff at the moment so are also doing lft every shift.

My BIL works in a care home. Three members of staff have tested positive on a LFT this week, none had symptoms. Also, my BIL is fairly sure he caught is at work (wasn't going anywhere else at the time) - at the time he was able to work independently and chose to take his breaks outside, so it's highly likely he caught is from a patient.

@ifonly4

My BIL works in a care home. Three members of staff have tested positive on a LFT this week, none had symptoms. Also, my BIL is fairly sure he caught is at work (wasn't going anywhere else at the time) - at the time he was able to work independently and chose to take his breaks outside, so it's highly likely he caught is from a patient.

I've been taking my breaks outside this week too....hope he's OK!

Both Candyflossie
We have some staff off after testing positive on lft awaiting confirmation. And some residents positive - one of them was swabbed on 28th, result came back positive yesterday!! Yesterday!! And because we are swabbing as routine and not because of symptoms, the residents aren't isolating from each other. So for a week this positive resident has sat and had meals together and watched movies and done activities with the rest of the unit.