Jan 2021
Lateral flow testing and Oxford vaccines at Spencer Court
Residents at Spencer Court Care Home in Woodstock have welcomed their COVID-19 vaccinations and settled into life during another national lockdown.
As part of the government’s vaccination programme, residents and care workers at Spencer Court have been offered the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccination against COVID-19. The first of these were administered at the home last week.
There was a high take up among staff and residents, with one resident, Joy Pomfret (pictured below), feeling relieved. She said: “My arm was a bit stiff, but it is all for a good cause and I am pleased to have had it. I feel very safe at Spencer Court, and even more so now with the vaccine and all the testing.”
In addition to rigorous COVID-19 testing, staff at the Woodstock home are also taking lateral flow tests every day before their shifts.
Homes like Spencer Court, which are run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), are also part of a study into antibody research being conducted by scientists at University College London. The results of the study, known as Vivaldi 2, will provide further understanding of the virus and how it can be controlled, particularly amongst people who are most vulnerable.
Spencer Court Home Manager, Dorte Chandler, said: “There is a sense of progress with the vaccine and our testing programme. Although there is still a long way to go before we can get back to normal, we can now start moving forward to embrace the future. It feels like something very positive during what has been a dark time for everyone.”
Residents at the home stayed in contact virtually during the previous two lockdowns, and this one has been no different, with Skype calls being made each day by residents to friends and family.
When not chatting online to relatives, residents have been kept busy with a range of socially distanced activities laid on by the home’s carers.
Dorte said: “We may be in lockdown but we are still having fun at Spencer Court! We have some great activities lined up over the next few months for our residents, so watch this space!”