Tens of thousands of care home staff in England have not been fully vaccinated against coronavirus and are therefore set to lose their jobs next week, latest figures suggest.
Around 89.4% of staff working in older age care homes had received two vaccine doses as of October 31, according to data from NHS England.
The remaining 49,040 staff – around one in 10 of the total – had not been recorded as having received two doses at this point.
The equivalent figure for staff in care homes for under-65s is 13.6% – 11,924 staff.
This suggests a total of 60,964 staff have not had a second jab or their second jab has not been reported as of the end of October.
The total includes staff who cannot be vaccinated for valid medical reasons and those whose vaccination status is unknown, while there may also be a time lag in some vaccinations being reported.
There is no published data on how many staff have self-certified as exempt or have applied for official proof.
But it is understood that this is around several thousand staff.
The UK government has made it mandatory for staff in registered care homes in England to have both jabs as a condition of deployment, unless they are exempt for valid medical reasons.
The deadline for staff to be double jabbed is next Thursday.
Sector leaders fear an exodus of staff which they warn will threaten safe care.
A government consultation on extending the mandatory vaccination condition to wider social care and NHS staff has recently concluded.
The government is expected to make an announcement imminently.
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