Covid: Newcastle Emlyn care resident, 87, denied vaccine

A family is facing a "hopeless situation" after their grandfather was denied the Covid-19 vaccine as others in his care home have coronavirus.

Bryn Evans, 87, cannot have the jab until 28 days with no positive cases, despite two negative tests himself.

"What happens if on day 27 someone tests positive - another 28 days then passes?", his granddaughter Elen Morgan, from Carmarthenshire, asked.

Hywel Dda health board said it was following government guidance.

Ms Morgan said her grandfather, who has dementia, has been kept in his room at Glyn Nest care home, Newcastle Emlyn, since 20 December, because of the Covid problem.

The private home is currently being run by the local authority because of the number of staff who are self-isolating.

"What we don't understand is that he now can't have a vaccine, despite the fact that he's had at least two negative tests," she said.

"And the same goes for the staff - they can't have the vaccine either until 28 days have passed without a single positive case.

"We could find ourselves just going round and round in circles here."

Ms Morgan said that like many families, they have been unable to see Mr Evans properly since last March.

"He lives with dementia, which is obviously terrible anyway but this situation makes things a hundred times worse," she continued.

Jill Paterson, a health board director, said: "Now the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved, we are rolling our vaccine programme to over 80s in the community and care home residents but this will take some time due to vaccine deliveries and our rurality.

"We follow the current government guidance around vaccination in care home settings which includes not administering vaccines in care homes with ongoing cases of Covid-19."

But speaking on Radio Cymru's Dros Ginio, Ms Morgan said the family "can't understand" the reasoning.

"If the county council now have to take charge of the home because of a lack of staff then wouldn't it make sense for those staff who have tested negative to be given the vaccine and residents too who have tested negative?," she said.

"Doctors, nurses, they all go into the home to look after those who have had a positive test. So why then can't those who have had a negative test also be vaccinated?

"I have a son now who's seven weeks old, so my grandfather hasn't even met his great-grandson.

"He's just in a room, by himself, and his mental health is deteriorating. It's just a hopeless situation."