“Social care is the frontline in the fight against coronavirus and we need to do all we can to shield people in care homes and those receiving care in their own homes."
Responding to the latest ONS and CQC figures on deaths from COVID-19 in the community, which show that in the week to 1 May a further 2,044 people died from COVID-19 in care homes in England, bringing the total to 6,391 deaths since 10 April, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“This appalling loss of life in our care homes and communities is another stark reminder of just how much more must be done to protect our most elderly and vulnerable.
“Every death from this virus is a tragedy, leaving behind family and friends in mourning.
“Social care is the frontline in the fight against coronavirus and we need to do all we can to shield people in care homes and those receiving care in their own homes.
“Any national plans by government to track and trace coronavirus needs to build upon councils’ existing local knowledge and skills on the ground, given their experience in their communities through local services such as environmental health, public health including sexual health services and infection control nurses.
“We also cannot stress enough the urgency of making sure all of our social care and other frontline workers get the necessary PPE they need to protect themselves and the people they care for from contracting coronavirus.
“It is crucial that the Government’s online PPE ordering system is fully rolled out as soon as possible, so that councils and care providers can directly request that critical protective equipment gets to those who desperately need it.”