State missed 'window of opportunity' to stem Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes

A total of 1,543 staff and residents in care homes have lost their lives to Covid-19. That is almost half of the 3,418 death toll from the virus to date. Picture: PA

The State missed a 12-day “window of opportunity” to vaccinate vulnerable nursing home residents and staff, 369 of whom died from Covid-19 last month alone.

A total of 1,543 staff and residents in care homes have now lost their lives to the virus. That's almost half of the 3,418 death toll from Covid-19 to date. 

The figures, revealed at the Oireachtas health committee, came as the National Public Health Emergency Team confirmed a further 101 deaths.

That is the highest number it has reported on any single day of the pandemic so far. Of those deaths, 83 were in January and the rest this month. One of those whose deaths was announced last night was just 19 years old.

On a more positive note, the number of new infections dropped below 1,000 for a second time in a week with 879 cases confirmed last night.

During the third wave of the pandemic, the number of Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes has increased fivefold, from 34 in mid-December to 193 by the end of January.

Dr Kathleen MacLellan, assistant secretary at the Department of Health's social care division said high case levels everywhere affected the homes. Yvonne O'Neill, national director of community operations at the HSE, said the high level of infections over the Christmas period had created immense challenges in the safe, effective delivery of services in the nursing home sector.

However Tadhg Daly, chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, criticised the gap between the vaccine arriving in Ireland on December 26 and the first nursing home vaccinations on January 7.

“We do feel a critical window of opportunity was missed. With nursing home residents the most susceptible to the virus, just 10% of the initial 77,000 vaccinations administered by mid-January were within nursing homes. Every day is vital for our nursing home residents and staff.” 

HSE data shows 7,925 vaccinations were given in residential centres, but 69,378 to healthcare workers by January 13.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Daly said: 

“It is a legitimate question. Should we, and could we, have moved faster? There are nursing homes saying to me now we were so close [before Covid-19 hit]."

Nursing homes are also currently facing a staffing crisis. The committee heard there are now almost 2,000 staff on Covid-leave from 100 nursing homes nationally.

There are 200 HSE staff redeployed to the homes including 60 to private homes, even though they make up about 80% of the sector.

Mr Daly said: “Staffing is the predominant emergency that presents today across our health services.”

He said within homes with outbreaks, available staff are going to extraordinary lengths "at huge personal sacrifice" to ensure continuity of care.