Covid safety and Flu vaccine strategy

[WuthPP]

As a shielded person (who has been told to still shield beyond the pause date by my consultant), I'm wondering just how GP practices are going to keep people safe while administering the flu vaccine to more patients than ever this year.

Anyone have any good ideas and/or interesting views on how this should be done?

I think it should be done in outside covered clinics but it’s more likely to be done in the same manner as hospital appointments are being carried out at the moment so strict appointment times to keep people apart, cleaning in between patients, PPE etc

I think outdoor walk through pop up clinics are the way to go, open ended gazebo type thing... you walk in get jabbed and walk out the other side with socially distanced queueing. They could be done by postcode rather than by gp surgeries, on local car parks, parks and open spaces.

Yes, I am worrying about this after a single trip to a healthcare setting since March highlighted the fact that even the staff in these settings are barely wearing their masks, let alone all the patients. I did not feel safe, and objectively it was not safe.
Instead of saying that many patients are missing out on vital healthcare because they are frightened of catching Covid-19 (well, of course), why don't they make things safer and less risky by the occassional outside shelter for things like flu vaccines that don't need to be done inside in private.

"They could be done by postcode rather than by gp surgeries, on local car parks, parks and open spaces."

The flu jab has to be kept refrigerated and at a constant temperature. It could be made to work. I'll be attending hospital before deep winter, as will many others. Some clinics do still do vaccinations and bloods. So it's about getting as many people sorted wherever they will be, including in the community and at health centres. We need investment for that, but it will be cheaper than people being ill.

I've attended my GP for my Vit B injection during this and it was well managed and safe. But my doctors surgery is a new large purpose built surgery.

People will still be able to go to pharmacists.

Vaccines could be stored in refrigerated vans to transport to pop up clinics. My gp surgery is really large with thousands of patients I don't really see how they could vaccinate all of the patients that require it and run normal practice safely indoors.

My only trip to our GP surgery since March scared me half to death. I waited in the car directly outside the surgery as bidden and waited to be called in. While sitting there I was able to watch all the arrivals who theoretically should have spoken to the lady blocking the door to give their name and collected a mask if they hadn't bought their own. Then they were supposed to queue at a social distance along the side of the building until called in.

One man arrived, accepted the mask, hung it from one ear, and then stood right outside the door on his mobile facing the opening. He was still there when I was called in and I refused to pass him if he didn't put on his mask and move away from the door. I was furious when instead of that happening he was allowed to enter the surgery with his mask still dangling from one ear and stand inside the reception area even closer to where I had to pass to get through. And this after I have been shielding since March to avoid a virus I have been told quite forcefully by my consultant is likely to kill me if I catch it.

Also, despite having a front and back door, all patients were entering and leaving by the same main entrance, so I don't have a lot of faith in them trying to keep any patient safe with thousands to vaccinate, let alone those who are clinically very vulnerable.

GP's have just been told they cannot discriminate and not see patient's without masks either because they cannot wear a mask or refuse to. It's not enforceable by law. This was published in the GP magazine pulse.

People who can should wear a mask they are so selfish, how difficult can it be to socially distance.

WRT flu vaccine there are multiple places these can safely be given by a variety of people, hopefully the government are planning now.

I went for injections at a hospital this morning; where all the patients for that clinic are going for injections! It was all managed safely - although the nurse said surgical masks only provide some protection against the corona virus. She said if people go home, touch the mask as they take it off, and use the taps to wash their hands; then they can infect themselves by touching the taps next time! That is why hospitals use taps, operated by the elbow.

Actually one HCP was standing in the outpatients dept, with her mask under her chin!