Families sue government for failing to protect care homes from Covid

Families who lost loved ones in the early days of the pandemic are starting legal action against the government, care homes and several hospitals in England. 

Thirty families have got together to argue not enough was done to protect their relatives from the COVID-19 pandemic. They are claiming damages for loss of life and the distress caused. 

The government claims it specifically sought to safeguard care home residents using the best evidence available. 

The legal claims focus on the decision in March 2020 to quickly discharge hospital patients into care homes without testing or requiring them to isolate. 

Between early March and early June 2020, nearly 20,000 care home residents in England and Wales died with Covid-19. That’s about a third of all care home deaths during that period.

The government said at the time it had “tried to put a protective ring” around care home residents.