More than 100 care home coronavirus cases in Hertfordshire in two weeks

Dozens of staff in Hertfordshire care homes have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past two weeks – sparking concerns that the second wave of the virus may have spread there.

The latest data – compiled by the county council – provides a snapshot of the virus in care homes, based on positive tests in the two weeks to October 2.

It shows that at least 72 members of staff – and 54 residents – have been diagnosed with Covid-19, many of whom may not have had symptoms.

And that has prompted some fears that the pandemic is circulating in the county’s care homes.

However Cllr Richard Roberts, executive member for adult care and health at the county council, stresses that the majority of these cases are centred on “significant outbreaks” in just two care homes – in Broxbourne and in Hertsmere.

He acknowledges that the number of cases in care homes has increased – after being very low over the summer months.

But he says measures such as routine testing, hand-washing, PPE, and infection control are keeping infection rates low.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Zukowskyj has pushed for publication of the latest testing data from care homes, which was initially intended to be ‘confidential’.

And he says it’s vital residents know so they can make decisions about whether to move-in to – or remain – in a care home setting.

During the first wave of the pandemic – between March and August – the virus is believed to have claimed the lives of more than 500 Hertfordshire care home residents, either at home or in hospital.

And much of the spread around care homes was attributed to care home staff – who had the virus, but no symptoms – who unwittingly passed it to other staff and residents.

Since July all staff working in care homes should have been screened for the virus once a week – with residents also screened once a month – in a bid to halt the spread of asymptomatic transmission.

Delays in the testing process have already been highlighted by Cllr Roberts – who said some staff in September were waiting up to seven days to get their results.

And – in light of the latest data – Cllr Zukowskyj says the testing process needs to be speeded up to prevent the spread.

Cllr Zukowskyj, who is deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the county council and a member of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, said: “This is really concerning.

“Some care home testing has been really haphazard – including some results that have come back after more than a week.

“If there are 72 members of care home staff who are ‘positive’ – how many people could they have spread to in that time? It is really worrying.

“And those 54 residents who have tested positive are in the most vulnerable group.”

Liberal Democrat spokesperson for adult care Cllr Ron Tindall – who is also a member of Dacorum Borough Council – says the level of infection is “deeply concerning”.

“Care home residents are our most vulnerable group, exactly the group who need to be protected most,” he said.

“I know county officers and care home staff are doing everything they can to control the virus and protect our elderly loved ones, but the haphazard testing, poor test turnaround time and stupendously incompetent data management of this government is massively undermining those efforts.

“Our loved ones face a new wave and yet again the lack of timely and appropriate testing is making a bad situation intolerably worse.”

According to the data, within the 14-day period to October 2 there were 25 staff members and 23 residents in care homes that tested positive in Hertsmere, where there are a total of 1286 care home places.

In Broxbourne – where there are just 378 care home beds – the data shows nine staff members and 18 residents tested positive for Covid-19.

There were three members off staff testing positive Dacorum, five in East Herts, five in North Herts, two in Stevenage, three in Three Rivers and two in Watford.

In St Albans – where there are 1107 care home beds – there were nine staff who tested positive for the virus and three residents.

And in Welwyn Hatfield – where there are 1113 care home beds – there were also nine staff members testing positive, as well as two residents.

The remaining 20 members of staff and eight residents are spread around care homes in the remaining six district and boroughs.

The positive results were picked up from tests on staff who had symptoms and from routine tests on all staff who were asymptomatic.

Commenting further on the data, Cllr Roberts acknowledges that there will be further outbreaks in care homes, as infection rates increase in the community.

But he says he is optimistic that the measures being taken by care providers ensure there is a good chance of minimising the number of homes in the county that have major outbreaks.

Cllr Richard Roberts, executive member for adult care and health for Hertfordshire County Council, said: “With a significant increase in coronavirus cases nationwide over the last few weeks, we have also seen an increase in the number of people testing positive in Hertfordshire.

“Like other areas we are now starting to see this general increase in cases reflected in an increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Hertfordshire care homes.

"These increases are in line with the increase we have seen nationally, and indeed the number of outbreaks has reduced in the last week.

“Care home residents and staff have regular asymptomatic testing, every seven days for staff and 28 days for residents. If anyone develops symptoms in between these timeframes, they would be tested and if anyone tests positive as a result of asymptomatic testing, everyone living and working at the home is re-swabbed 4-7 days later.

“When we are notified of a case in a care home, we work with local health colleagues to implement contact tracing, control the infection, reduce transmissions and keep staff and residents as safe as possible.

“Safety measures are put in place at the home, with residents self-isolating and use of shared areas restricted. Extra support is provided to support residents mental health and wellbeing with a specific focus on residents with dementia and other cognitive conditions.

“The home will also be closed to new admissions until further notice, sadly, this extends to visitors, as we must reduce the amount of non-essential contact with the home.

“Through a partnership with HCPA (the Herts Care Providers Association) the Provider Hub remains the central point of support to all care providers with a helpline, training and a range of useful resources and latest council, health and government guidance. They also support providers with staff recruitment.

“Safe staffing remains a central infection prevention strategy – limiting movement of staff across care settings and ensuring increased capacity for enhanced infection control practice and testing regimes and providing a quick response to staffing issues caused by staff self-isolating.

“The hub also promotes wellbeing resources for care staff and an Employee Assistance Programme set up to support staff who are working in challenging and stressful conditions.”

Care homes – the vast majority of which are privately-run – are being supported by the county council with staffing, PPE and other costs, at a cost to the council of up to £4m a month.