CARE home residents are one step closer to hugging their families after receiving the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccination.

Winchester-based charity, The Brendoncare Foundation has announced that residents and staff at its Knightwood care home have been given their first jab.

A team from St Francis Surgery, in Valley Park, visited the Chandler’s Ford home to give some of their residents and staff the vital injection. Their second vaccination will be given in due course.

General manager Charlotte Gilbert said: “We are so grateful to the team at St Francis Surgery for coming to us to administer the vaccinations as many of our residents wouldn’t be able to visit the surgery. Our residents and their families are delighted that the first vaccinations have now been received.

“It gives us all hope and we can now see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”

The NHS vaccinated a total of 4.06 million people between 8 December and 17 January, including more than half of those aged 80 and over and more than half of elderly care home residents.