To think there is no chance 18 million will be boosted by 31 Dec?

[JadedJabber]

Name changed for this as would be outing with previous posts.

Am I alone in feeling quite angry that Boris Johnson has announced what is likely to be an unreachable target and will be causing untold pressure and stress in the primary and secondary care workforces who are already exhausted?

I was very closely involved in the rollout of phases 1 and 2 of the vaccine programme last winter/ spring for a large NHS trust. Everyone was 100% committed to the vaccines and our workforce was incredible despite a lot of challenges particularly around the time taken to train as a vaccinator and disruption to business as usual in the trust. Despite that the best day was c800K jabs and most were significantly less.
Johnson has glibly talked about training 1000’s of new vaccinators. Well unless the mandatory training is axed to a fraction of what is was earlier this year that will be impossible.

It seems so easy for him to make these pronouncements without any thought as to how this will actually play out in practice.

I can’t see the (exhausted and less motivated) workforce suddenly expanding and then working 12 + hours a day from now until 31 Dec, including Christmas. It just sets everyone up for failure.

I had my booster back in September... now waiting to be told my booster needs a booster before long all those first boosts will be running out!

It's pathetic really, Johnson is desperately trying to win back public confidence by re creating the success of the original vaccine rollout.

He's clutching at straws.

It is possible. Have faith! The NHS is an amazing machine. With integrated care systems and technology now in place, we have the means for coordinating this Herculean effort.

Today was the first day NHS managers (Ie. me) planned out how to deliver it. More appointments will become available ASAP - watch this space.

Non-clinical staff across the NHS are being released from their day jobs to train as vaccinators. Along with volunteers and LA staff. Each employer is drawing up lists today. This obviously means delays in routine NHS work. But it’s short term.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

It’s completely different to before. There’s a clear vision and deadline. We will do it!

Looking at the data and modelling, this is not about politics. It’s necessary for public health. It’s a mammoth effort to protect people from dying and services from collapsing. Unfortunately I think more restrictions are inevitable (personal view looking at data available in public domain).

I’m 40s and CV and got booster last week, with a booking before all the announcements. Even then there was a queue and people turned away for walk-in. Why on earth didn’t they finish the 6 month people, will leave people jabbed with AZ 6 more months ago with others being slotted in.

GPs and other health care, admin staff run off their feet so BJ can create a distraction.

18 million by 31/12 is a target not a deadline.

I had my booster 2 months ago. Will I need a fourth injection in four months?🙈

@Babybooboodedoo

Looking at the data and modelling, this is not about politics. It’s necessary for public health. It’s a mammoth effort to protect people from dying and services from collapsing. Unfortunately I think more restrictions are inevitable (personal view looking at data available in public domain).

If that is the case, why do other countries not seem so concerned? Most of them haven't even started giving boosters yet.

Me and DH tried to book our boosters yesterday (we're over 40). First available local slots were in January. So, no, not a chance.

If that is the case, why do other countries not seem so concerned? Most of them haven't even started giving boosters yet

Because the alternative is giving the spare vaccines we have to people in other countries. And they are not English.

Last push i worked every weekend vaccinating on top of my regular job as doctor, and caring for my children with additional needs and my elderly father.. I cant do it any more, I'm done in and have nothing left.. we have all had covid and never really regained full strength as we hit the ground running as soon as isolation finished as everyone else was off too. I know I am not alone in this .. we cannot keep doing it again and again and again...

@RobotValkyrie be patient, give it a couple of days

It took me two weeks to even be able to book in for a booster vaccine; our nearest "walk-in" was 40 miles away. YANBU

@Didiplanthis

Last push i worked every weekend vaccinating on top of my regular job as doctor, and caring for my children with additional needs and my elderly father.. I cant do it any more, I'm done in and have nothing left.. we have all had covid and never really regained full strength as we hit the ground running as soon as isolation finished as everyone else was off too. I know I am not alone in this .. we cannot keep doing it again and again and again...

Thank you for all your work, it is much appreciated, look after yourself and your family.

@MsFogi

As usual PM talking shit - just like he announced 12-15 year olds could now have the second dose but it appears to be impossible to book one!

If it's not a stupid question, why can't school Nurses do vaccinations in school or at least some of them ? I'm presuming it's because there aren't enough of them?

@FrothyDragon

It took me two weeks to even be able to book in for a booster vaccine; our nearest "walk-in" was 40 miles away. YANBU

Yes just been looking for local walk in centres for my 20 year old as he has a rare weekday day off this week but there is very little locally.

@Babyroobs Oh, our town went fantastically up the creek. We actually have what WAS a walk-in centre five minutes walk from my house. Until an anti-vaxxer decided to superglue the locks shut.

If it's not a stupid question, why can't school Nurses do vaccinations in school or at least some of them ? I'm presuming it's because there aren't enough of them?

Are school nurses still a thing? I left secondary school in 2010 and we didn’t have a school nurse, I didn’t think anyone did.

It is ridiculous, there aren't the vaccine centres, computers etc let alone vaccinators a lot of who have gone back to their day jobs. I volunteer as a vaccinator for SJA but it took several weeks to get onboard early this year - apply, interview, on line training for both SJA & NHS (at least a day), in person training for a day at a place where they need to book out a whole conference centre or whatever, on the job training & sign off. I applied around Christmas last year & gave my first jab in the middle of March.

@Didiplanthis

Last push i worked every weekend vaccinating on top of my regular job as doctor, and caring for my children with additional needs and my elderly father.. I cant do it any more, I'm done in and have nothing left.. we have all had covid and never really regained full strength as we hit the ground running as soon as isolation finished as everyone else was off too. I know I am not alone in this .. we cannot keep doing it again and again and again...

@SickAndTiredAgain

If it's not a stupid question, why can't school Nurses do vaccinations in school or at least some of them ? I'm presuming it's because there aren't enough of them?

Are school nurses still a thing? I left secondary school in 2010 and we didn’t have a school nurse, I didn’t think anyone did.

They have one at DS's school, who's been a godsend time and time again. But for her to vaccinate the entire school (or the ones who are having the vaccine) would be such a burden for her

[quote Bebedoogoogle]@RobotValkyrie be patient, give it a couple of days[/quote]
On Wednesday the online booking system opens to 18-29 year olds, so that will be more demand on it in a few days, not less.
A week maybe, once the initial rush has passed the system might be easier to look for closer appointment times.

But haven’t over 20 million already had boosters??

As usual, it's fucking PR.

They haven't said they want 18m to have been vaccinated by the end of the year, but they've said it in such a way they know that's what people will think they've said.

What they actually said is they want 18m people to have been INVITED for a jab by the end of Dec.

It's still a tall order, but technically, they could jab 2m, send text messaged to the remaining 16m, and still get to say that everyone was invited for a jab.

It's puff. If they really meant it, someone from the government would have spoken to the NHS about logistics before announcing it. That they haven't, shows you how serious they are(n't) about it.

Considering DH’s 95 year old aunt hasn’t managed to get her booster yet despite being housebound, I do not hold out much hope that any booster target will be reached. She has been trying for weeks via gp, pharmacist , carers 119 to get a home visit to no avail. My 83 & 84 year old in laws are driving to her house tomorrow with a borrowed wheelchair so they can take her to the local vaccination centre because they have also been going round in circles trying to get her a home visit. They are very worried because she has multiple care visits a day ( which she pays for out of her own money) but it’s not always the same carers so on any given week she can see 5 or 6 different people. It is an utter shambles.