More than 80 per cent of eligible care home staff in Hertfordshire have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. 

The total number reportedly vaccinated is 8,477 out of a possible 10,486. 

The Government is to announce that care home workers will be required to have mandatory coronavirus vaccinations.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is known to be in favour of the move, while England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said doctors and care workers have a “professional responsibility” to protect their patients.

Ministers will announce the move in the coming days, after a consultation was carried out into using staff vaccination in England to protect the most vulnerable from Covid-19.

Consultation will also begin on whether other health and care workers should also have the jabs.

It comes after concerns that some parts of the country, such as London, have particularly low uptake of vaccines for care home staff.

Overall NHS figures to June 6 show that 84% of staff in older adult care homes in England have had one dose of vaccine, and almost 69% have had both jabs.

The figures have been published by NHS England and cover vaccinations up to June 6.

Staff are eligible to receive the vaccine if they have not had Covid-19 in the previous 28 days.

Older adult care homes are defined as homes serving people aged 65 and over, based on data held by the Care Quality Commission.

Of the 10,798 care homes in England covered by the data, 10,670 (99%) reported figures for first-dose vaccinations up to June 6.

Staff refers to those directly employed by the care home provider plus agency workers.

The total eligible to receive the vaccine includes staff who have not received a vaccination for a valid medical reason.

The list is ranked by the proportion of eligible staff to have received a first dose in each local authority area, starting with the highest.

It reads, from left to right: name of local authority; number of staff eligible to receive a vaccine due to not having had Covid-19 in the last 28 days; the number of eligible staff reported to be vaccinated with at least one dose; the proportion of eligible staff reported to be vaccinated with at least one dose.

You can also use the search tool to find a local authority.