THE “perfect storm” of the Kent variant, a lack of vaccines, and confusion around rapid testing contributed to the death of hundreds of care home residents, according to a former health boss.

Fresh data has revealed the true scale of how Covid swept through care homes in Essex, with 198 deaths recorded in Southend care settings.

The worst impacted homes in south Essex since April last year were Silvanna Court, in Wickford, recording 28 deaths and Admiral Court, in Leigh, where 23 residents died.

Councillor Trevor Harp, who was in charge of health and social care until May this year, cited the Kent variant as well as PPE issues as factors.

He said: “It was a real challenge, and a really challenging time for everybody.

“The Kent variant made things more difficult.

“Care homes found it difficult to get PPE from their normal supplies.

“This is why the vaccine is so important and has made huge difference to keeping our care home residents safe.”

During the first lockdown, Southend Council created a red, amber, green system, for care homes to indicate to them how low they were on PPE.

Officers would ring each care home every week.

Aside from Admiral Court, 11 care homes in the Southend borough have recorded more than five Covid deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Six residents passed away at Bliss Care Home, Kathryn Court and Melrose House.

Brooklands Nursing Home, Cedars Care Home, Rose Martha Court, St Edith’s Court and Whittingham House all recorded seven deaths.

Five residents passed away at West House, while 14 died at Memory House and 18 and Mountdale Nursing Home.

Cheryl Nevin, councillor in charge of adult social care and health integration, said: “When considering these location statistics relating to Covid-19 deaths, it is important to recognise that outbreaks in care homes in communities were closely linked to rates of Covid-19 in the community which were high across Southend and Essex.

“At the end of 2020, we also unfortunately saw a perfect storm of conditions, with the quick-spreading Kent variant arriving in Essex, well before vaccine rollout had truly begun, and when new national guidance around rapid flow testing was being developed and issued.

“The pandemic has been an incredibly difficult time for those on the frontline of social care.”

Some of the worst impacted in the remainder of south Essex included Woodbury Court, in Laindon, where 24 residents died and Parklands in Benfleet, where 19 passed away.

A spokesman from Essex County Council and the Essex Care Association, said: “We are enormously grateful for the dedication and commitment of care home workers who, throughout the pandemic, have continually gone out to work each day to provide care and support to those who most need it. “Some care homes were unable to escape the eye of the storm during the peaks of the pandemic through no fault of their own. It is devastating for many care homes that some of the largest outbreaks in Essex affected some very well-run homes.”