Residents at a Nab Wood nursing home near Shipley are amongst the first people in Yorkshire to have received the new Covid-19 vaccine.
The 45 residents live at Staveley Birkleas Nursing Home, which is owned and run by Czajka Care Group. The specialist nursing home is renowned throughout the country for the person-centred care services it provides to young people aged from 18 through to 64, who have a variety of disabilities.
The team at Staveley Birkleas care for amputees, people with brain injuries, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neuron Disease, Huntington’s, Epilepsy and many other complex conditions. As the residents all have underlying health conditions, they have been part of the initial role out of the Covid-19 vaccine.
A medical team, led by Dr Hayward from Shipley Medical Practice, which is part of Affinity Care, administered the vaccines on the 30th December.
Konrad Czajka, managing director of Czajka Care Group, said: “The care industry has been hit hard by the pandemic and we all welcomed the news that a vaccine had been developed. We had hoped that our residents would be amongst the first to receive the vaccine and feel very grateful to all the scientists who developed it and the volunteers who took part in the trials.
“It’s an amazing achievement to produce a vaccine so quickly, and the fact that some of our most vulnerable residents are now being vaccinated is incredibly encouraging and gives everyone hope for the future.
“The team at Shipley Medical Practice have been fantastic, communicating clearly about what to expect. It’s very reassuring for our residents, their families and our care teams to know that protection from this deadly virus is now in place. We are now planning for our older residents at our four other care and nursing homes to receive the vaccine, with those living at our Beanlands Nursing Home receiving them next week. We look forward to the time when all our residents and staff are protected from Covid-19 thanks to the vaccine very soon.”
Konrad added: “I have been a part of the care industry for more than 37 years and have never experienced anything like this pandemic before. Despite all the challenges and restrictions, we have adapted and worked hard to make sure that our residents have been safe as possible and able to thrive. With virtual visiting via tablet devices and heavy investment in new Covid-safe visiting areas, we have been able to ensure residents stay connected to their friends and families. Hopefully, the new vaccine and the latest lockdown will combine to bring the number of cases down and from spring onwards things can start to return to normal.”
Czajka Care Group provides full-time and respite care for people aged 65 and over at Fairmount Nursing Home, Brookfield Care Home, Currergate Nursing Home and Beanlands Nursing Home. Visit www.czajka.co.uk for more details.
