The coronavirus pandemic has hit care homes hard. For the early part of the crisis it was playing out silently, and virtually ignored.
Before lockdown, Newsnight visited a care home in Blackpool, run by the charity MHA, to find out how they were preparing for a possible pandemic in their 90 homes across the UK. The North West of England has since become one of the worst hit parts of the country.
In this special report, the programme’s Kate Razzall hears from MHA staff about about the way the crisis unfolded in care homes.
The Department or Health and Social care said its priority is to ensure care workers and those receiving care are protected, and that the latest statistics show over 60% of care homes have had no outbreak at all.
A spokesman said a package of support for residents and staff had been set out, but “more must continue to be done” and additional funding has been made available to local authorities.
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Asymptomatic care workers unknowingly spread virus
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