A CARE home boss has spoken of her delight after all of her residents and dedicated staff members were administered with the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Workers at Marmora Care Home, in Penfold Road, Clacton, have been gradually receiving their essential Pfizer jabs since the middle of December.

The residential facility’s elderly residents, who are potentially more exposed to the deadlier risks of the virus, have also now been given their Oxford vaccines.

Lisa Welsh, home manager at Marmora, believes the vaccination roll-out will finally path a way out of the ever-evolving pandemic for care homes.

She said: “All residents and staff who were able to receive the vaccine have now had it and many of the second appointments have also been booked.

“Although times have been difficult for Marmora Care Home, we have strived to get the vaccinations booked as soon as appointments were made available.

“We know that the vaccinations are a critical part in ensuring that life can go back to some sort of normality for residents, their families and staff as soon as possible.”

Lisa’s hardworking colleagues are also now tested three times a week using rapid flow tests, which can return a result within just half an hour.

But at the start of the coronavirus outbreak Marmora Care Home’s owner, Debbie Carson, forked out nearly £7,000 on 90 Covid-19 tests.

The home have been critical of how the Government has handled the pandemic in relation to those operating within the care sector.

Lisa now wants to see the level of assistance given to the likes of Marmora Care Home in the wake of the vaccine roll-out to be sustained for good.

“Times have been very difficult for all care homes during the pandemic and at the beginning it appeared care homes had been entirely abandoned,” added Lisa.

“But it seems that there is more advice and support for care homes when it is required, and this gives more of a safety net and reassurance for everyone.”