Why is there a queue of over 200k to get on the boots website at nearly 1am?

[NemophilistRebel]

Just seems a weird time for so many people to be waiting to buy from them all at once

Have I missed anything?

@EmpressMcSchnozzle I didn't fully understand what your post meant about the virus not being a HCID anymore and staff not needing PPE.. then your post after which sympathised with not having ppe??

I do apologise in advance if I've got this wrong - I haven't slept as dh has come down with a fever at 2am and I'm up with too much worry

EmpressMcSchnozzle I didn't fully understand what your post meant about the virus not being a HCID anymore and staff not needing PPE

The piece doesn't say staff don't need PPE, it says that the virus is no longer being treated as a HCID. Initially all cases were treated in HCID units. Clearly that cannot be the case as the epidemic progresses.

That was my understanding - downgrade it from HCID and all of a sudden you need less PPE, less training le specialist staff and al available hospitals can treat rather than needing specialist HCID wards like what’s needed with ebola infections

It doesn’t mean this isn’t less dangerous it just means they need to make it within the law that it can be treated

They had to downgrade it from HCID as it is not possible to contain in specialist units. The NHS are preparing all health care professionals to see patients in almost every setting with COVID-19, it won’t just be people all sent to the Excel

@NemophilistRebel thank you, that is what I was getting at. Really they should have updated that page. The fact that they haven't really is a WTF, pardon my (implied) French.

The really worrying thing is the lack of PPE, no matter where the condition is being treated.

@Menora If they're expecting it to be treated anywhere then they REALLY need to have better PPE, and not expect health professionals to cobble things together from bin bags as some of them have been doing or see if they can find a dust mask in the shed/attic/wherever. The Excel situation suggest they are expecting a LOT of cases. I see a doctor has expressed concerns today after contracting it (she thinks) from someone who showed no symptoms, and because he had no symptoms she didn't put her PPE on.

I know the guidance is due to be updated later today but I'm naturally very cynical about governments in general, and especially this one, so I am wondering about just how it will be updated, in the light of the lack of kit. Italy, notably, had excellent PPE and look at their figures. Still, maybe things will be different in the UK.

I am NHS and have been trying to source PPE for 2 weeks
You don’t need to preach to me!
They are only allowing us to place very small orders at a time and there is a supply chain lag/bottle neck

We have also pretty much moved to absolutely no face to face contact with patients in primary care settings now - all consultations are over the phone where possible and those face to face are screened as much as they can. But it was too late as patients with mild symptoms already infected doctors and nurses so a large portion of the workforce is in isolation. There was not enough PPE for everyone to wear ‘just in case’ and not enough time to acquire it on a large scale - it is being sent to ICU’s faster than it is sent to GP’s, but GP’s were seeing more patients per day and being put at risk over and over and over

@Menora I certainly wasn't preaching, I just think the whole situation is appalling, that people on the front line are being expected to work like this. I know the RCN and BMA are expressing serious concern as well, but it shouldn't have come to this. And the doctor who's spoken up today is a GP, I think.

(I'm ex-NHS though not clinical; many of my friends and acquaintances are on the front line, in primary and secondary care settings.)

Are they really going to be able to process all those orders? What are alternative sites?

I just looked on superdrug. The website is working fine but the things I want are only available for collect in store.

Might be worth checking for the things you want...

200k people in front of me, i only want to see where my order from last week is

I found this website. Doesn't have what I want but maybe useful to someone. They claim to be able to prescribe stuff online.

Could be useful.

www.mychemistplus.co.uk/

This looks interesting, you can get repeat prescriptions delivered. I didn't know that.

www.echo.co.uk/_/lloyds?utm_source=lp&utm_medium=popup&utm_campaign=lpecholaunch&utm_content=find_out_more

It took me 4 hours the other day to get onto the boots website and I was wanting to order baby/mum bits that they have as there is very few suppliers currently especially who are open and with availability. Especially with not visiting stores due to being pregnant.

I've moved up to "only" 172,739 in the Boots queue...

I don't understand this. Just about everything sold in Boots is also available in supermarkets, Superdrug, department stores, pharmacies, both online and actual shops, Amazon and a load of other places.

What is it that people are so so desperate for, and why are they queuing for hours to buy it from Boots? You can't even see if what you want is in stock and will be delivered any time soon until you get onto the website.

I need medicines and can't get to a supermarket or local shops as we're self isolating.

I can't get a delivery from supermarkets for love nor money.

Perhaps people are buying from Boots, the medicines, health & beauty stuff they usually buy from supermarkets.

OK, so just looking at pharmacy (and ignoring all the other things Boots sells for now), according to the government, 44% of the retail pharmacy market is large pharmacy groups. That's Lloyds. Boots, Well, Rowland and Superdrug.

A further 44% of market share is small independents - they'll be almost all in person.

Then the 4 big supermarkets - Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and
Tesco – together have around 12% market share.

So anyone who uses them will be shopping at Boots. And that's just meds.

Then there's also all the beauty products people get from supermarkets (guaranteed there are people sitting in that queue as they want hair dye before their family / housemates see their natural colour hair! Or hair removing stuff before their mustache and chin hairs grow freely. And those who feel they can't live without makeup etc etc)

Plus, we're in a health crisis so people need meds. And everyone wants hand sanitiser too.

And stuff to sterilise materials.

Plus people will likely be desperate for formula for babies too by now.

All that means massive pressure on those that are still trading online.

Sorry, I mean to say - anyone who usually shops in person at the shops, but can't get out - or relies on online supermarket ordering, will be likely considering shopping at Boots for their regular health/beauty/baby stuff, and also many will have greater need for stuff (eg meds) because of the crisis.

I tried to buy tampons from Boots the other day. They were all sold out or awaiting new stock. I got some from Superdrug in the end.

I didn't venture into the baby or toiletry aisles yesterday, but couldn't get everything I wanted in Tescos yesterday including fresh veg, so I guess this filters through to those aisles. People need items, are still looking for sanitizer, wipes, gloves, baby items etc.

As a matter of interest, those of you that are looking to order, are you wanting a delivery or click and collect (not going to criticise you on latter option as most will argue it's for essentials)?

Delivery. Self isolating so can't go out. But I think we're going to stay in as much as possible after our 14 days is up anyway.

97,722nd in queue. Under 100,000, yay!

If I manage to get to zero without the DC turning the computer off, does anyone behind me in the queue want me to check stock of anything?

i.e. if they have it in stock or not.

Try Savers if they stock what you need they deliver medicines, toiletries and household items.

I've been an online Boots customer for as long as I can remember. Last week I tried to order a bottle of cough syrup for my DGPs. Got to check out wouldn't accept my password even though I was logged in. Tried to reset it and I'm still waiting for the reset button 4 days later! I think the website is kaput. I managed to get what I wanted on the Savers website absolutely no problems.

oops just been on savers and you can't order on there until tomorrow now either sorry!

Oh so its u lot that made me have to wait til 130am to buy tampons.. nice to meet you

Its ridiculous

Who is it whos bought out Amazon and boots.

Still couldn't get everything I needed either.