AN ANDOVER care worker who was "scared" to get the Covid vaccine has been forced to leave her job.

It comes as the government's mandatory jab policy made it illegal for unvaccinated care home staff to work after midnight last Thursday.

The government said that "vaccines save lives" and it is the government's responsibility to protect vulnerable people.

NHS England data shows 650 of the 14,378 people working in older adult care homes in Hampshire were yet to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on October 24.

One Andover worker affected by the change in government policy is Abbie Louise Luff.

Having worked at Abbotts Barton care home in Winchester for eight years, she said her mental health has been impacted "massively" by the issue, and had to take two weeks' sick leave.

"It all got a bit much. I was struggling to just have a shower," she said.

Miss Luff continued: "It was a struggle going to work. I've been called stupid. I've been called an idiot. I've had colleagues tell me I'd be personally held responsible for all residents dying."

Giving her reasons for not getting vaccinated, she said: "I think it’s new and it’s scary. No one knows the effects of it yet and I don’t want to be a guinea pig.

Explaining what the job meant to her, she said: "I just started to do a training nursing course and I have paid hundreds of my own money to get BCG vaccines and hepatitis A and B vaccines. The role meant a lot but it all went down the drain because I didn't want [this] one.

"They (fellow workers) were all really sad. I've gone up many job roles so I've climbed up quite a ladder. I've become one of the best employees there. My manager said it's like 'losing a member of the family'."

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have approved the Pfizer, Moderna and Astra Zenca vaccines for use in the UK following a thorough review of safety, quality and efficacy information from clinical trials.

Mark Aitchison, chief executive of Colten Care, which runs Abbotts Barton, said: "All good care home providers will have wanted to do right by their staff and avoid facing the loss of valued team members because of non-vaccination. People who work in care homes are typically loyal, committed and caring, and their work is a fundamental part of the fabric of our society.

"There is no greater example of that than in the amazing efforts to keep residents safe and happy, day in and day out, since the start of the pandemic. For our part, while abiding by this piece of legislation, we have done everything we can to support individual team members through what has been a very difficult period."

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was its “responsibility to do everything we can to protect vulnerable people”.

A spokesman added: “We consulted and worked closely with the sector to encourage take-up of the vaccine ahead of the deadline.

“Since the consultation was announced, uptake of the first dose amongst care home staff has risen from 80% to 94%.

“We are working closely with local authorities and care home providers to ensure there will always be enough staff with the right skills to deliver high-quality care.”