To wonder how people are booking flu jabs when Boots have suspended them

[NJT70]

A genuine question. I have tried to book a flu jab with Boots several time in the last couple of weeks and have always got the widely publicised message that the service has been suspended. I was at my local Boots today waiting for a prescription and got chatting to someone who was waiting for a flu jab. I said lucky him as I couldn’t book to which he replied that it was his first time because his employer had given him a voucher and that he only booked it online on Friday through the Boots website. How? Where is this magic website and how do you access it?!

If you are the kind of person who doesn't plan ahead and then feels outrage I have some advice for you:

Start stocking up on paracetemol, flour, and pasta. No need to panic, just add one extra into your weekly shopping every other week or so. If you have small kids, make sure you have sufficient craft supplies. The next lockdown won't be in sunny weather.

I booked mine with Asda and had it today, was free as I’m 65. They’re also doing Pneumonia vaccination, £25 for 65+ or £50 if younger, so I had one of those too while I was there.

I just walked into my local small pharmacy (Well)and asked for one. Was done there and then. Boots are backed up for weeks here.

Goodness me. I went into Superdrug this morning, paid my £12.99 and left 10 mins later job done. Pharmacist said they were getting new stocks in every day no probs.

We got ours done at Lloyd’s pharmacy. We’re mid 50s

My mum went for her (NHS) flu jab and she asked the pharmacist if I’d be able to book one any time soon as the online service was suspended. The pharmacist ordered more vaccines whilst she was there and said to get me to call them the next morning to confirm if the vaccines were coming, which I did and I’m going on Saturday.

Lloyd’s has plenty of slots available in the next few days. However Superdrug’s slots are in November last time I checked.

I booked with Boots pretty much as soon as booking opened .

That was at a very small local branch of boots BTW

I rang Asda today and have booked DH and I for this weekend and DD1 is getting hers through school. I was booked in to have it at the GPs (they told me to book) but they rang to cancel it after they realised I am no longer pregnant.

DD2 is 2 weeks old and I want her to be as protected as possible over the winter months. I can’t give her the flu vaccine but I can reduce the risk to her by vaccinating the rest of us. I don’t care if people think that makes me selfish.

I just walked in to my local pharmacy last week hoping to book and they were doing them without booking. I didn't have the time then so I came back at the end of the week, still seen without a booking. I do have an underlying health condition which means it's free, but they seemed to be doing them for paying customers as well. Why keep going back to Boots if you know they're not taking any new bookings? There are plenty of other pharmacies around.

I signed up to Boots Flu Jab notification email in summer and got emailed when dates were released -had mine a couple of weeks ago. (Paid £13.99)

Then boots cancelled last minute and I booked with Tesco. They then also stopped taking any bookings but did actually do the jab phew.

£9

I appreciate the frustration of many but why haven't enough vaccinations been ordered by the Health Service? We have had six months' notice this was coming. This isn't the fault of those who got organised enough to book an early vaccination.

I’m booked in with the GP for this Saturday. Hope they’ll be able to do it.

DH has really nasty asthma and keeps ‘forgetting’ to book his. Will use this thread to give him another nudge!

I had one last weekend at Boots. Booked it a week to two beforehand.

Superdrug, other pharmacies

Got mine done at Tescos but I am a key worker. Try their website.

Superdrug here too - called and made an appointment for last Saturday but they do walk ins too.

My surgery texts all of us on the list in August. They do this every year. You book for now in August. If you are vulnerable you know this. I've been having the flu jab for about twenty years and I make it a priority. Even before text messages from the surgery were a thing I knew to ring in early September if I didn't have another appointment booked.

There is always a shortage, every year. It was bound to be worse this year as all the eligible people were actually going to take it up. If you are a regular, repeat customer of the flu injection surely you know this?

Public Health Message. Book your jab in advance.

And if you are eligible for an NHS jab please write, politely, to your surgery asking them how they plan for the flu jab each year. You may find they actually do have a good system once you know it. Or they may be crap in which case follow it up and ask how they plan to manage it in the future. As other surgeries seem to be able to do ...

£8 in Asda, plenty of appointments available.

Nothing selfish about people having a flu jab. DH and DS2 are vulnerable so we booked theirs well in advance.

@HelloHello89

I tried to get one today myself because of my health conditions and because I'm a key worker but there wasnt any left. Docs are running out as are pharmacies. My worry is the selfish people who don't need them are getting them when they never did before this year!

I agree vulnerable people and key workers should be top of the list, if supplies are limited and everyone else should follow ( once again piss poor government messes up and tells everyone to go out and get one) so partially agree you. I think perhaps it’s your frustration at being turned away that’s making you lash out and call others selfish.

Got mine at Superdrug today and the service and availability was excellent. I'd had a nightmare with boots (despite booking at start of august).

The general public have been encouraged to get the flu jab this year. I've heard NHS could really do with less flu spread this year.

I went to collect my prescription from Day Lewis, saw their sign advertising jabs and had it there and then. I had previously booked in with the doctor to have it in over a month's time but obviously won't be needing that appointment now.

@HelloHello89 - failure to prepare on your part does not constitute an emergency on someone else's part. Nobody is selfish for getting the flu jab. Do you really think we need another deadly virus rampaging through communities at the moment? Covid not enough for you? Are the NHS not busy enough for you? Vulnerable people aren't at enough risk already?