Hull: Care worker explains why she will lose her job

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Louise Akester, 36, claims it is “unfair” for the government to ask all care home workers to get double vaccinated against coronavirus by November 11, unless they’re medically exempt. Louise is not willing to be vaccinated currently, which means she’ll have to step down from her role at Alderson House in central Hull.

Care home residents and their visitors are not required by the government to be vaccinated.

And Louise, who has 14 years of experience in the industry, feels all staff should also have freedom of choice.

She told Hull Live: “There can be unvaccinated visitors. It seems unfair how they can do it, yet I can’t.

“I genuinely love my job with all my heart, I only earn minimum wage so believe me it isn’t the money keeping me there.

“But November 5 will be one of the hardest days of my life when I have to say my goodbyes to all my lovely residents.

“When I have to leave that building at the end of my final shift knowing that I can no longer return as an employee, all because apparently now I’m not good enough to protect them due to refusing the vaccines.

“This choice should be my basic human right. I do not deserve to be punished for saying ‘no’…

“I’d rather wait until we know more about the potential long-term side effects.”

But more than 45 million people – about 79% of those aged over 12 – have had both doses.

Boosters are also being offered to frontline medical staff, over-50s and people who are clinically vulnerable across the UK.

Louise, though, wants to wait until more research is carried out into any potential long-term side effects.

“I’m still standing by my decision. My heart has been in that role of work for such a long time, ” the carer continued.

“I’m at a loss about what I’ll be doing after I lose this job. I just feel so heartbroken.

“My manager has been quite emotional over it all as she really does not want to lose me.

“We should have freedom of choice. The only choice I’ve been left with is either having the vaccine against your freedom of choice, or lose your job.

“It’s absolutely destroying me.”

Louise, of Hull, has been tested three times a week for Covid, wears PPE gear and follows “all guidelines relating to infection control”.

But the care worker’s contract is now being terminated on November 5.

Jeremy Brown, professor of respiratory medicine at University College London Hospitals and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), has said health workers should get vaccinated “as a matter of professional pride”.

A government impact assessment in the summer of the double vaccination requirement for care home workers by November 11 suggested around 40,000 staff would be unvaccinated by the cut-off point.

More than 4.2 million of the booster doses have been administered in England since September 16.

In Scotland, there have been more than 400,000 booster doses administered, while in Northern Ireland the figure is almost 40,000.

Wales does not currently publish data on booster doses.

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