A care worker who was sacked because she refused to have a Covid-19 vaccination can argue she refused to do so on religious grounds, a court has ruled.

Patrcja Wierowska, who is a practicing Roman Catholic, worked for HC-One until 28 April 2021.

Wierowska claims one of the reasons for her dismissal was because she refused the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds.

The court heard Wierowska objected to having the vaccination because it involved the use of ‘foetal blood’.

In a preliminary judgement on Friday, employment judge Eion Fowell said Wierowska could rely on her religion as a protected characteristic at an employment tribunal.

An HC-One spokesperson told Caring Times: “Our purpose is to be The Kind Care Company, supporting our residents to lead their best life in homes that are safe and open to visiting, so that residents and their families can come together as they wish.

“We take every opportunity to create a safe and open environment for our residents and colleagues, which is why we announced last year that the Covid-19 vaccine will be a condition of employment for all HC-One employees.

“This was the responsible step for us to take to protect the people we care for, as well as our colleagues, as the evidence clearly shows that vaccination cuts transmission and substantially reduces the risk of hospitalisation.

“Since the vaccination programme started, we have worked tirelessly to support colleagues who choose to be vaccinated, and to understand their individual circumstances, and are pleased with the high vaccination take up we have seen as a result in all our homes.”