CARE home staff are wearing special social distancing badges to try ensure they keep residents coronavirus-free.

Workers at St Mary’s Court and the New Deanery care homes in Bocking have been issued with the badges after raising concerns about the public’s failure to social distance in certain areas, such as supermarkets.

The badges display a small but polite message urging people to keep their distance and follow the Government’s two-metre rule.

Staff have been wearing the badges during their free time and hope it will make people take extra care around them.

It comes as both St Mary’s Court and the New Deanery have yet to record any confirmed cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began in March.

Julia Clinton, chief exec of the two homes, said: “As the country comes out of lockdown. the next few weeks and months are risky for all care homes, even though our staff are being extra careful in order to continue to keep our residents safe.

“A member of the team was telling me how much they feel the weight of this responsibility.

“When in a busy supermarket recently, she noticed some inconsiderate behaviour and felt she needed a banner saying ‘I work in a care home – keep your distance!’

“Everyone really likes the badges, and we are confident people will understand us doing what we can to protect our residents and our team.”

Bosses say they have installed tough health and safety restrictions at the care homes to ensure they continue to be shielded from Covid-19.

All but essential visitors were banned from March 12 – nearly two weeks before the official lockdown began – and residents have also been stopped from going off site.

Stricter cleaning regimes and the use of personal protective equipment have also helped to ensure the virus has not made its way into the home.