As for the new coronavirus vaccine, the priority vaccination does not include the staff of home care services such as home-visit care, so an organization made up of long-term care providers requested the government to improve it.
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for the vaccine of the new coronavirus, health care workers to prospect a late next month, including the vaccination of the elderly in the prospect of the end of March, then, plans to carry out the vaccination in preference, such as the staff of the elderly facilities However, home care service staff such as home-visit care and home-visit nursing care are not eligible for priority vaccination.
For this reason, eight groups made up of long-term care providers submitted a request to Prime Minister Suga on the 14th to include staff of home-based long-term care services as targets for priority vaccination.
Among them, eight groups complained that "not only in facilities but also in home-based services, staff members directly contact the elderly and provide services, and vaccination is necessary to protect the elderly in the area."
Regarding this, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said, "We are considering inoculating people at high risk of infection and aggravation in order. All care workers should be given priority vaccination in the limited supply of vaccines that can be secured first. Is difficult and I want to consider it carefully. "
Industry "If vaccination is not possible, labor shortage will increase due to anxiety"
Kentaro Higashi, chairman of the National Association of Health Care Facilities for the Elderly, said, "In home care services, there is a possibility that visiting staff will transmit the new coronavirus to families with elderly people, and medical collapse. Immediate inoculation is necessary to prevent the disease. "
On top of that, "Because the home care service site supports the lives of the elderly in the face of labor shortages, we are also dealing with infections with the idea that continuation is essential, and if vaccination is not possible, there is a risk that labor shortages will further increase due to anxiety. Yes. I understand that the supply of vaccines is limited, but I would like the staff of home care services to be eligible for priority vaccination because it can be next to the staff of institutional care. "