the booster jab is not available even though the govt says it is

[battenburg100]

Hi everyone

Over 50 and still not eligible according to the NHS booking system for a booster jab. My issue is the press / govt are saying that over 50s are eligible to book now and they are campaigning to increase the so called ''slow uptake' - however Ive been trying to book a booster jab for the past few weeks as an eligible person but to no avail. I feel what is in the press and what the govt is espousing is not what is happening in reality. Can I ask what mumsnetters experiences are of this please? thanks

Our local hub can't offer as many appointments as the first stage. Back in Jan/Feb/Mar we were giving astra zeneca, simple jab, in and out. We could do 900 appointments in a 12 hour day.

Now it's all Pfizer, this requires a 15 minute wait after and more screening questions before. On phase 1 Pfizer days, we managed 600 appointments a day.

Add to the boosters, we're doing 1st and 2nd doses and flu jabs. It's all more complicated for admin and vaccinators. We also don't have as many staff - at one stage in the early summer we had 12 NHS vaccinators and 6 St John ambulance. Now we're lucky to have 6 vaccinators. So we're offering about 350 appointments a day. It's a big shortfall and no amount of government adverts encouraging people to grab a jab is going to change the fact we don't have the same capacity.

You need to have had your second jab before 22nd April 2021 to be eligible for booster today.

I've been checking for my mum who had hers about a week before this date and I think it was about a week after her 6 months that she was able to book on the national service.

Are those who are struggling those who were done before the national booking service was working properly? Maybe the GP surgery or area hub has to release appointment slots online with the stock /capacity they have?

[quote Gladioli23]@thegreywoman

I think Suffolk has walk ins running at 22 different locations over the next week or so, but if none of those are nearby it's worth popping a question on the Facebook page/twitter feed of the CCG as people from the vaccination programme are usually very good at answering any questions on there - they might know a pharmacy near you that could squeeze you in without an NBS appointment and just book you into the system when you arrived. Some smaller pharmacies I don't think use the NBS at all, but I'm not certain.[/quote]
Thank you for that info I'll ring a small pharmacy in my town and see what they have to say. I know my sister and her husband use a small local pharmacy in the very large town where they live, and they got their boosters there just for the asking. Worth a try anyway.

@CarryOnNurse20

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/

Book here. Takes 1 minute. I booked mine yesterday for next Tuesday (sooner appointments available but I was busy). Easy as pie!

Clearly says on that link that the NHS will contact you, so there should be no need to book via the link!

Our GPS said it's phizer they can't cope with the patients sitting around after, so it's going to take much longer to distribute boosters here

@VanGoghsDog I read it as NHS contacts you to book on that link, i.e. once you become eligible (190 days after 2nd dose) the link will work and the NHS will ping you when it's ready for you. Or I assume it will work anyway after 190 days.

I've not been invited yet so going through the process on that link doesn't do much, but hopefully will once I'm invited or after 9 Nov.

Currently I'm at 173 days ;)

Jo

@jobrodie it's 180 days not 190 days to be eligible for your booster so one week to go!

@WhatsitWiggle It's only very recently changed to 190 days, as far as I can tell.

I spotted the yellow notice for the first time yesterday evening. I think they changed the page yesterday afternoon (eg from looking at Internet Archive's Wayback Machine copies, Google Cache* just has today's copy so isn't much use). Grey pic is what it said on 15 October, it was saying 189 days yesterday afternoon.

Current page: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/

Wayback Machine's copy from 15 Oct 4.16pm: <a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211015161629/www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web.archive.org/web/20211015161629/www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/

I'm eligible in terms of falling in the right category (50+) but I'm also temporarily ineligible until another ~18 days have elapsed. It's possible they'll change the timing again at some point.

*(If Google caches a page it'll put a copy in the vertical ••• three dots icon next to the link in search results, it doesn't always cache pages though).

Jo

update from thegreywoman

Happy to say my NHS letter came this morning and I've managed to book in via the booking site for 17th November at my local Boots.

Thank you to the posters who responded to my earlier email with support and advice - it was much appreciated

I’m CEV (and under 50) and I can’t book mine until the middle of November apparently 🤷‍♀️

@jobrodie

That's interesting - I volunteer at a Covid centre, a fairly big one, and our guidance is 180 days. We usually adhere 100% to government guidelines eg stuck to the 8 weeks for 2nds strictly in the summer even turning away people who had turned up a day early!

You have to be invited for the booster before you can book.

You don’t need to book where I am. You can just turn up.

It is 190 days. DH is eligible as he is 50 & had his second dose in April but we can’t actually book as we are not in England.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/

My parents’ surgery contacted them a few weeks ago for their boosters. I’m 52 with Diabetes and my second jab was mid-May so not eligible until the end of November.

My DF is in his 80s, jabbed over 6 months ago and the govt website said he wasn't eligible. Fuck knows what's going on.

I got my second jab over six months ago, and now I've got a letter saying I need to contact my GP or consultant to discuss a third dose as I was classified as having a severely weakened immune system. My GP just sent me a link to the booking site that I can't use. I've asked for a call back, so still waiting.

Got my text on Wednesday, had it at lunchtime today. Six months almost to the day since the second one. I'm 60.

Husband got his text on Monday or Tuesday, he's having his shortly. Slightly over 6 months in his case. He's 66.

London.

No sign of my flu jab yet, but he's had his.

Cev, got my text the day before the 6 month s were up after second jab. Have it booked for early November. No complaints here.

@BeautyQueenIamNot

I’m CEV (and under 50) and I can’t book mine until the middle of November apparently 🤷‍♀️

It's not about which group you're in but when you had your second jab.

I am mid-30s but I had my second jab on April 16th as am CV so have just become eligible for the booster, the day I became eligible my surgery text me and asked me to book in and I have an appointment next week (would have been earlier but I have work and no appointment suited)

My uncle is 55 but he didn't have his second jab until August so won't be eligible for the booster yet.