Vaccinations in Care - Danae's story

With COVID-19 vaccinations well underway in our care homes, we hear from some of our colleagues, all of whom are passionate about seeing an end to the pandemic and many of whom have already received their first jab. Curious about what to expect from the process? Want to understand what the vaccine means to care workers? Read on for the latest in our series of blogs focusing on vaccinations in care…

Danae’s vaccination story

My mother lives in one of our care homes and my husband is diabetic so with vulnerable people to protect, it seemed a no-brainer to have the vaccine when it was offered to me. 

We’ve seen that COVID-19 is a deadly disease and that it can affect anyone. I’ve seen the effect it’s had on a friend of mine – they were perfectly fit and healthy when they caught it in April and even now, they’re still not fully recovered.

There is also a lot of misinformation being circulated about the vaccine so I would recommend that people only get their information from the NHS or from a gov.uk website. I studied microbiology at University and have a good understanding of medical issues such as antibiotic resistance, herd immunity and disease transmission. Looking back through history, vaccinations have helped us control measles, smallpox and so many other diseases.

I make sure I have a flu jab every year and if I need to have vaccinations before I travel, I’m happy to have those - it makes sense to protect myself if the protection is available. When one of the home managers from the homes I support called me to ask if I wanted to be included in their list, I said yes straightaway and was able to get an appointment for the next day.

On the day of my appointment I was asked to wait in my car until there was adequate space inside. Social distancing was maintained at all times and all the staff were wearing PPE. During the appointment they checked my details and asked for my NHS number. I didn’t have it with me, but they were able to look it up quite easily so if you don’t know yours don’t worry, they can sort this out for you. I braced myself for “Just a sharp scratch” but it really was barely noticeable. It was over in a few seconds. After having the vaccination, I had to sit for 15 minutes to ensure there were no immediate adverse reactions and I was given plenty of advice and leaflets to take away explaining about possible side effects and what to do about them. The staff were friendly and professional.

Having the vaccine was an easy and safe process and I really hope my husband and mum are able to have it soon too. I’d encourage everyone to have the vaccine when you’re offered it – to both protect yourself and the people you care about.

Danae Bird is one of our Wellness Coordinators

We take the safety of both our colleagues and our residents very seriously and are doing everything we can to safeguard them from the virus. Learn more about what we are doing to protect our residents here: https://www.anchorhanover.org.uk/media/press-room/vaccinations-taking-place-across-anchor-hanover-care-homes