Golders Green care home residents receive Covid-19 vaccine

The Pfizer injection was administered to the elderly at Magnolia Court, Otto Schiff and Rela Goldhill before the new year as the government aims to vaccinate every care home resident by the end of month as part of a national rollout.

At Magnolia Court, the vaccination was carried out from the care home’s GP surgery by Dr John Bentley.

Magnolia Court resident Bill Crowhurst said: “I am so pleased to be given the vaccine. It will help to keep our community safe, and is the first step in getting things back to normal and having a buzz of visitors in the home once again.”

The care home’s general manager, Octavian Stanciu, said: “We’ve had a year like no other and the vaccine feels like the light at the end of the tunnel.

Magnolia Court resident ambassador Bill Crowhurst receiving the Covid-19 vaccine (Image: Octavian Stanciu)

“Our teams have been magnificent in how they have risen to every challenge during this pandemic and we are proud to play our part in this next phase to ensure the most vulnerable are protected.”

Elsewhere in Golders Green, residents and staff at Otto Schiff and Rela Goldhill received their Covid-19 vaccine.

These care homes are run by Jewish Care, with Rela Goldhill accommodating people who are disabled.

Jewish Care resident Evelyn White, 85, said: “The treatment and the care were perfect, and the vaccine is a right step in a right direction.”

Daniel Carmel-Brown, chief executive of Jewish Care, said: “We are delighted that the vaccine is finally starting to be administered in care homes.

"This is an incredible end to an extremely tough year for our residents and staff, and we hope that this vaccine is the start of finding our way back to some kind of normality.”

As they are most vulnerable to dying from the virus, care home residents have been prioritised by the government to receive the vaccine.

In December, a 91-year-old from Coventry was the first person in the world to be given the Covid-19 jab.