Update: Health bosses rule out vaccine team causing Wellingborough care home outbreak

They say a multi agency review has now been carried out following concerns raised

By Sarah Ward

Health bosses have said the possibility its vaccination team caused an outbreak at a Wellingborough care home has been ruled out.

More than a dozen residents of Dukes Court Care Home in Wellingborough, which is run by Avery Healthcare, came down with the virus earlier this month, just days after the visit from the vaccination team on January 15.

Melanie Cutler, whose father, 89, is one of those who now has the virus, was told by the care home’s manager she thought the outbreak had been caused by the vaccination team whom she said was wearing inadequate PPE when it visited.

But today, a number of days after first being contacted by NN Journal with the claims, the  Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group  has issued the following statement: “The roving team works on behalf of the Northamptonshire COVID-19 vaccination programme to vaccinate care home residents and those who are housebound. 

“The team adhere to strict Infection and Prevention Control protocols and work closely with system partners, including care home providers, to ensure the safe delivery of the vaccine.  As with all health and social care staff, those delivering the vaccination programme regularly undertake COVID-19 testing to reduce the risk of infection in the settings they visit.  No current care home outbreaks are associated with the roving teams delivery. ”

The CCG media officer said following a multi-agency review, the roving team has been ruled out as the cause of the outbreak. She says contrary to the care home manager claims the staff were wearing adequate PPE and all had negative lateral flow tests before and after the visit.

The CCG would not say whether the cause of the outbreak has been established: “We are not able to provide specific details about outbreaks due to information governance regulations and in order to protect the privacy of individuals.”

A Public Health England spokesman said: “Public Health England East Midlands has convened an Outbreak Control Team (OCT) which is a formal meeting of all partners to address the control, investigation and management of the outbreak at Dukes Court Care Home.”

There are currently 45 outbreaks in care homes across Northamptonshire affecting 475 people.