Boots opticians - covid overkill

WeeM · 2022-03-07T23:01:29+00:00

Went to make an appointment today as happened to be passing. They are still making people stand outside and have a barrier over the doorway. There was no one else in the store but the woman came over, took our details on a scrap bit of paper, went to the computer to check dates and then came back over to offer us a time. Is it just me or is this just total overkill now? I don’t think I’ve noticed anywhere else that is still doing this sort of thing. And not to mention customers details are floating about on bits of paper... I get they may want to limit numbers in the store still but the place was empty! I can’t wait to go back for the appointment to queue up outside [confused]

raspberrymuffin · 07/03/2022 23:24

People who need to be extra careful and can otherwise avoid shops and other crowded places don't have the option to avoid the opticians if their eye test is overdue and they need to drive. If I'd caught covid when I went for my very overdue eye test last weekend and passed it on to my husband, he wouldn't be allowed into the chemo ward for his next treatment. The pandemic isn't over for everyone.

ReeseWitherfork · 07/03/2022 23:27

It does indeed seem like overkill when even GP surgeries are generally letting people walk in and book at a desk. I wonder when they intend to drop these protocols.

ThinWomansBrain · 07/03/2022 23:28

sounds very OTT - I take raspberrymuffin's point, but could easily set aside a session each week for more vulnerble with additional social distancing.
vote with your feet - go elsewhere

Jamboree01 · 07/03/2022 23:28

Well answering the phone doesn’t pose a covid risk and they won’t do that either. They are shocking.

WandaThePanda · 07/03/2022 23:30

Sounds like they’re taking sensible precautions, given it’s still hospitalising thousands. Maybe they have a vulnerable staff member who needs to take extra care. As pp said, the pandemic is still a huge worry for thousands of ECV people.

echt · 07/03/2022 23:30

@ThinWomansBrain

sounds very OTT - I take raspberrymuffin's point, but could easily set aside a session each week for more vulnerble with additional social distancing. vote with your feet - go elsewhere

Yet another burden on the vulnerable.

nocoolnamesleft · 07/03/2022 23:31

Nice to see that some services are still considering the vulnerable.

SpaghettiSquash · 07/03/2022 23:33

Specsavers is also the same.

Blossom64265 · 07/03/2022 23:36

Opticians aren’t optional. Vulnerable people still have to make those trips. Making your appt in person is completely unnecessary. Calling or making the appointment online is what people normally do so they don’t often have to run back and forth from the door with scraps of paper.

Jamboree01 · 07/03/2022 23:38

I have three young children with very complex issues with their vision. They are under consultants but we have to get their glasses from places such as boots. Every opticians still now requires an appointment just for children to go in to try to find frames that fit. So that’s at least 6 different opticians for each child twice a year (it usually takes ten minutes to find that there aren’t any suitable frames but we can’t do that without going in) . It would not be hard to put aside an hour or two each month for different patients/ customers. If we do find a frame, boots never tell me a date when they will be ready so that requires me going in again to check if they are ready… because they don’t have enough staff to answer the phone.

raspberrymuffin · 08/03/2022 08:58

@ThinWomansBrain for those of us vulnerable or with a vulnerable family member due to ongoing cancer treatment we are already juggling lots of (long) appointments and work. If there was only one session a week it would be very likely some people just wouldn't be able to go.

TheWernethWife · 08/03/2022 09:43

Went to choose new frames from Specsavers, woman took my name and then gave me hand sanitiser, then handed me a plastic box saying that each frame I touched had to be put in this box and they would be taken away to be cleaned.

I asked why since I'd sanitised my hands in front of her but she didn't have an answer.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 08/03/2022 09:48

@TheWernethWife

Went to choose new frames from Specsavers, woman took my name and then gave me hand sanitiser, then handed me a plastic box saying that each frame I touched had to be put in this box and they would be taken away to be cleaned.

I asked why since I'd sanitised my hands in front of her but she didn't have an answer.

Because you'll have breathed all over them and tried them on maybe? The next person to try them on my be CEV.

user1471443411 · 08/03/2022 09:49

Actually our Boots opticians is better than Specsavers - you can just go in and look at frames (it is in a section of the normal store) but if you touch them you have to put them aside. I've been trying to get an appointment at Specsavers for a while, but all the appointments are booked up online and it won't let you go too far in advance and obviously you can't just go in store to book one. I agree it's getting ridiculous now, the people working there must be getting fed up of wearing masks all day and the constant sanitising - I don't know why they don't just have mask wearing when you're actually having an eye test.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 08/03/2022 09:50

@ThinWomansBrain

sounds very OTT - I take raspberrymuffin's point, but could easily set aside a session each week for more vulnerble with additional social distancing. vote with your feet - go elsewhere

Or how about they have one session per week for people who are not vulnerable?

Sceptre86 · 08/03/2022 09:51

It could be because they are short staffed rather than just covid regulations. When the pharmacies I worked in were short staffed we were advised to do this by the head office so that we could control the amount of people coming into the pharmacy and managing expectations. If we hadn't we'd have had loads of people in, waiting ages because of a lack of staff and then the inevitable abuse because they've had to wait longer than 10 minutes. It isn't ideal but places like Boots just aren't investing in staff at the minute which makes it harder for everyone.

FloraPostePosts · 08/03/2022 09:54

@TheWernethWife

Went to choose new frames from Specsavers, woman took my name and then gave me hand sanitiser, then handed me a plastic box saying that each frame I touched had to be put in this box and they would be taken away to be cleaned.

I asked why since I'd sanitised my hands in front of her but she didn't have an answer.

Because you try them on ON YOUR FACE. The bit with all the orifices out of which you breathe and secrete any germs you have.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 08/03/2022 10:00

@user1471443411

Actually our Boots opticians is better than Specsavers - you can just go in and look at frames (it is in a section of the normal store) but if you touch them you have to put them aside. I've been trying to get an appointment at Specsavers for a while, but all the appointments are booked up online and it won't let you go too far in advance and obviously you can't just go in store to book one. I agree it's getting ridiculous now, the people working there must be getting fed up of wearing masks all day and the constant sanitising - I don't know why they don't just have mask wearing when you're actually having an eye test.

Some people still don't get it do they? There are so many people who are vulnerable or extremely clinically vulnerable who have to go to medical appointments including the opticians. I, like so many other who despite having had 4 vaccinations do not have any antibodies to Covid. We stay at home apart from these necessary appointments. We're happy that things are opening up for others who are not in our position, but please understand that we are still vulnerable , we still need to avoid contact with Covid. Its especially difficult now because people no longer have to isolate or test if they do have covid

bigbluebus · 08/03/2022 10:01

Our local optician is still doing this too. They say they are following the NHS policy. The front door to the shop is locked and you can only go in by prior appointment. It seems slightly bonkers to me as I've never seen the place busy and there's loads of space inside to keep away from people waiting for appointments.

JackieCollinshasnoauthority · 08/03/2022 10:11

Hope you're ok after being mildly inconvenienced. It must have been so hard but stay strong - we're all behind you.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 08/03/2022 10:24

You do realise that there are lots of people who are still very very vulnerable to this disease? I'm glad they're still doing it, I live with a clinically vulnerable person who needs glasses.

luckylavender · 08/03/2022 10:56

It's really not over as much as everyone wants us to believe it is. I know more people with COVID now than any time through the pandemic. DH & I have caught it for the first time. Not mind either.

Doggydreaming · 08/03/2022 11:58

I went to boots deep in second lockdown and they were being reasonable. Actually, the optician had me remove my mask at one point when she was up close in my face because she couldn't see in my eyes properly with my mask in the way.

Our local branch had to close for a few weeks recently because multiple staff members caught COVID.

Thebig3 · 08/03/2022 12:04

I'm CEV and even i think this is over the top!

We cannot live our lives like this forever. Before covid there were many vulnerable people who would become very ill or even die from many illnesses but we didn't act like this. Flu kills 1000's every year but we don't act like this over the winter months.

RoomOfRequirement · 08/03/2022 12:06

I always try to remember that it's solely for political gain that we're being convinced the pandemic is over. It's not for so many people. And I understand more 'recreational' places dropping mandates but I'm glad medical facilities are still thinking about their vulnerable clients.

And I'm not one of them. I'm triple vaccinated and had a very mild covid before vaccines, I'm healthy. I try to remember not everyone is though.