Am I on the vulnerable delivery slots list?

[LittleBoyJuly2020]

I'm 7 months pregnant, I have an autoimmune disease (thyroid) so neither of these should put me on the vulnerable list for delivery slots?

The last few weeks both Asda and Tesco are letting me book slots once a week.
When I go on the Tesco app, it takes me to a random date and there are approx 8 slots to choose from. For example, the slots are all booked between now and May 19th. But it took me to May 6th where the slots were available.
Once booked, all the other slots disappear and there are no other slots available between now and May 19th.
These slots appear approx 2 days after my last delivery.

Similar situation with Asda. A friend told me that the supermarkets were given lists of vulnerable people a few weeks ago hence why I can now get slots.

So I'm wondering if other pregnant women are getting slots too or if this is just weird random luck? I'm not convinced my autoimmune disease puts me on the vulnerable list.

I think it's more likely luck. Only people who are on the shielding list are being prioritised for deliveries and I think even then they often have to have made themselves known on the gov website, and often still struggling. I've got a number of health conditions that put me on the more vulnerable list, get flu jab etc and struggling to get anything although have got the odd click and collect which is fine.

@Tangledyarn Yeah maybe it's my area or something, maybe it's just becoming easier to get slots.
If anything it made me slightly paranoid that my autoimmune disease puts me at high risk. I'd much rather believe that it's just a bit of luck and good timing!

Odd - to get priority supermarket access you would have had to sign up on gov.uk for support as a clinically extremely vulnerable (shielded) person and ticked the box to say you had no access to essential supplies. At least, that’s how the govt has told us it works!

Have you checked with your GP if they know if you’re on shielding list?

I think it's luck too. My sister, my mum and I are using a three pronged attack, looking at different times of day at two different supermarkets to get a slot for my mum.

Once I looked-nothing and then my mum looked about two minutes later and got a choice of two days and once when my sister looked she could pick from loads whereas I had been checking all day long.

It's definitely getting easier. Supermarkets are doing more deliveries and customers are getting less panicked.

@Splitsunrise Not rang GP (they're closed anyway) but thought all people that needed to shield would get a letter in the post?
Also not signed up to anything on Gov.Uk so maybe it is just luck.

Just seems weird that these slots are literally given to me two days after a delivery (and the slots are always 4 or 5 days away)
If May 19th is fully booked along with all the days surrounding it, why would there suddenly be 8 free slots on May 6th?

Oh well, not complaining, just worried I have some high risk disease that I'm not aware of!

If it helps, I've got hashimoto's (hypothyroid) and don't have priority slots/am not classed as vulnerable :) I think most likely either luck, or pregnancy.

Apparently some gps we're using their flu jab list as a guide, so some were being placed on lists "accidentally" because of that, pregnancy means you'd have been entitled to a flu jab so may be included for that reason? That's entirely through word of mouth though, I've no evidence for it!

@RitaConnors That makes sense, hopefully it's getting easier for everyone to book

@527040minutes Oh I didn't think of that, I am on the flu jab list for pregnancy, I wonder if that's it.

But good to know Hashimoto's isn't considered a high risk

Actually, I've noticed this too.
I'm a type 1 diabetic and I've been able to get a delivery booked with Tesco for the next 4 weeks. When I've told neighbours to look as I've just booked one, they can't see the slots even though if I look again, they are available for me.

I've not left the house apart from picking up click and collect in the early weeks of the lockdown. But I've not had a shielding letter either. Other type 1s have had very recently. So who knows?

I was also able to book a click and collect for my DM in another town. But when she looked, it wasn't available to her!

It has suddenly got easier here (Isle of Wight) with Tesco having slots available every day, before you had to try your luck and book at midnight for a delivery three weeks away (click and collect a bit more random).

We haven't been able to get a slot with any supermarket since this started. Very vulnerable family member but not quite on the extremely vulnerable list. It is frustrating, especially when you see the vans going regularly to those we could go to the shops. It would be good to independently be able to order everything we need, but we are managing with the basics, certainly not starving, thanks to friends and a small local shop delivering. It sounds like luck to me OP too.

Supermarkets have employed more drivers and are opening more slots- at random times it seems. I also thought that for those that were shielding, and on the list to be given priority deliveries, then the supermarket contacts them to advise them. I assume this is an email but not sure? if you haven't received anything from the supermarket to advise you are on their priority list, I assume its just co-incidence and the slots in your particular area.

Do you have a delivery pass? Not sure if that makes a difference? I don't, but have noticed with tescos that slots become available in say 2 days time. Sometimes I've seen several slots available in the coming week, that certainly weren't there an hour beforehand. I've also found asda sometimes opening slots after 11pm. Sometimes they have some left at 6am too.

Tesco’s are also now restricting deliveries to once a week. So as soon as you book a slot, you can’t see any other available dates.

All the supermarkets have upped the number of deliveries and most days I can find available slots for at least one of them.

I’m also pregnant and have an autoimmune thyroid disease and I can’t get a slot at all. I’ve tried Ocado, Tesco and Asda. I think it’s luck or maybe location.

DH is on the shielding list and registered on the government site, but no delivery slots yet.

Where I live, it's difficult to get slots. I have friends 15 miles away who have a choice of delivery slots. I am on the shielding list - NHS letter, texts and phone call. No priority slots. When I had the phone call, I was offered them along with a food box every week. I said no because I've been able to get a delivery. Now I can't get a slot.

So, I've gone on the gov.uk site and registered - it asks is you've had a letter and for your NHS number if you have it. Then it asks if you need help with food deliveries - I think it's the only way to get a priority slot.

I'm not pregnant or vulnerable and I have had Tesco and ASDA delivery slots showing on my app this week. I wouldn't take one as my OH is going to the supermarket but I could have if I had wanted.

I think they've taken on more staff and/or got more vans in my area.

I agree it's all down to luck then, and probably location/extra workers.

I only need one slot every 10 days so not going to 'panic book' just because the slots are there.

I remember when I could book a slot the evening before for the next day. It's incredible how things have changed so quickly and how these things become precious.

Hope everyone gets more slots in their area too soon x

Its definitely down to luck & location. I've had no problems getting Tesco slots and at the moment I dont even get put into the pre midnight queue. Log on after midnight straight in and a load of new slots. Dont know whether demand has dropped again or if theyve got a load of new drivers

I think it's sheer luck, I can get no slots with Tesco or local Asda but can get click and collect with a small Asda a few miles away within 3 days.