Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Original poster

DF 87 still not been invited for vaccination

218 replies

eastegg · 22/12/2020 23:06

Getting a bit impatient. I didn't get my hopes too high to start with but every time I speak to someone with a relative over 80 they have had it. He and DM (only 75 but vulnerable due to a stroke at the beginning of the year) have seen my DC, their only GC, once since last Christmas. I thought I was being reasonable hoping they would be protected by early February but I'm now wondering whether they will.

Anyone else out there waiting and wondering? Is there a shortage in some areas? They are in Greater Manchester, ironically under the cosh lockdown wise for much of the year and now seemingly in short supply of the vaccine! I know we have to be patient but we've been patient for so long.

Just venting really, I know no-one has the answer.

OP posts:

Neolara · 22/12/2020 23:55

My parents (both in their 80s) haven't been contacted yet. They are in Kent.

janetmendoza · 23/12/2020 00:01

Boris said about half a million had been done but we have 3 million over 80s, so only enough for one in six at the moment - he didn't say that last bit, but that is the calculation I guess.

DelphiniumBlue · 23/12/2020 00:03

My mum got some weird text that looked like SPAM so she didn't respond. She phoned the GP who said they didn't think they'd tried to contact her and they'd be in touch. She heard nothing more.
I had to go to the GP a week or so later for a different issue and asked as a by-the-way when she could expect to be called for the vaccine, and was told "oh, there's appointments this weekend." They hadn't told her, and if I hadn't asked who knows how long she would have waited. As it was she got one within 3 days of me asking.
So, yes it pays to be pushy.

janetmendoza · 23/12/2020 00:03

..bearing in mind all those guys will need a second dose and we only have about 800,000 available in total

clairethewitch70 · 23/12/2020 00:08

none of my elderly family members (82-90) have had an invite. We are in Wales and I don't know anyone who has. The Wales programme of vaccination is miles behind England I think

FrazzledChip · 23/12/2020 00:09

DF has had his first dose. He's 83. None of his siblings or cousins (all 80 plus) have had it. DM is in a home and also yet to have it. I don't think any particular logic is being applied to who gets and who doesn't. It's simply about which surgeries are ready to vaccinate. We're lucky our surgery is a large teaching practice.

Flowersinthewindowstill · 23/12/2020 00:10

My Grandad (85) has had it. Grandma (83) was offered it, but can't have it due to allergies. Grandad on other side of the family (89) has been given an appointment for Jan.

NovemberR · 23/12/2020 00:16

Our local GPs surgery were told a fortnight ago that they were not allocated any of the current vaccine and would be unlikely to receive any til around Feb. I presume this is going on across the country.

A bit like the shortage of PPE back in the Spring.

GlassLake · 23/12/2020 00:28

My friends who are paramedics in north London say that unfortunately vaccines are being binned as they aren't getting to people before their expiry window which is only around 6 hours. The media are conveniently not reporting this.

Floralnomad · 23/12/2020 00:33

You won’t get it any quicker by being ‘sharp elbowed’ as you put it , you get invited . Some GP surgeries belong to hubs that haven’t even started yet - our GP has started doing some over 80s , my neighbours and my MIL who are both over 80 are with surgeries that haven’t started . It’s ridiculous if vaccines are being binned as surely they just keep ringing people until they find someone even if it’s someone in a lower priority group .

infinitediamonds · 23/12/2020 00:53

My Nan has had it at a local hub last week and in my area they are offering it this week, again at a local hub covering 3 surgeries, both south Hampshire. People are being told specifically not to ring in, they will be contacted. They are over booking the clinics to ensure no vaccine is wasted though so they warn people even if you have an appointment you may not get the vaccine. So if you have the option, dont take a slot late in the day!

GlassLake · 23/12/2020 01:25

@Floralnomad

It's to do with the travelling of vaccines.

PrincessNutNuts · 23/12/2020 02:02

Most NHS Trusts don't have any vaccine.

Inkpaperstars · 23/12/2020 02:15

I have quite a few friends/family over 80, no one has been invited yet.

lovelemoncurd · 23/12/2020 02:41

When Oxford Zeneca vaccine gets approved the vaccinations will ramp up

tobee · 23/12/2020 02:57

My dm went to surgery for her diabetes check last week and was told next week. I hope this is true. Df and dm are 85 and 84.

As a side issue, Dh is 58 and on dialysis, shielding but has to go to clinic 3 x a week so exposed. One of the U.K. kidney charities has advocated for in centre dialysis patients to go higher up the list then "late January/February" but who knows!

middleager · 23/12/2020 03:04

My FIL, 83, had his last week (Birmingham).

Original poster

eastegg · 23/12/2020 06:09

@DreamingofaShiteChristmas

My parents are in their 80s, with stroke and heart failure between them, and have heard nothing.

I too am wondering whether, like so many things, it’s a bit of a postcode lottery.

That's what I was thinking. I suppose it's inevitable there will be a postcode lottery element.

floral I explained in my post why I was mentioning sharp elbows, and a few people on here have already confirmed that making phone calls and being proactive has helped.

OP posts:

Skipsurvey · 23/12/2020 06:21

I guess if the GP surgery has got a slot in a hub, as happened with my dm surgery, she had it on sunday, it was a phone call. a text would have been hopeless

Oly4 · 23/12/2020 06:26

Everyone needs to be patient, even though it’s hard. There are millions of over 80s, many GP surgeries have not even had deliveries yet. This will speed up but for now we have to wait for more doses of the vaccine to arrive and for all the people older than your relatives to have it. We will get there.. they are hoping to be through the over 50 and vulnerable list by some time in April

Crakeandoryx · 23/12/2020 06:30

They've managed 500,000 so far. That's pretty impressive considering the complexity of the vaccine needs. It's still small number when you know it NHS as well as over 80's. Be patient, it will come.

Inkpaperstars · 23/12/2020 06:35

I think it’s possible that the recent rise in cases/more infectious strain and the lack of compliance especially over Xmas are going to place the nhs under stress in a way that will slow down the vaccine rollout a bit. I hope not, but something has to give and so many people are actively unwilling to try and keep cases down.

Goslowlysideways · 23/12/2020 06:36

I've managed to get all my 80+ relatives and my parents the vaccine. My dad was invited (because of ongoing cancer treatment) and I used the number he was given to call and make appointments for the others. They're all over 85. It's meant three trips up into central London and I've paid a lot of congestion charges! But so worth it.
They've now said the GP surgeries will be contacting people after Christmas.

GwendolineWindowlene · 23/12/2020 06:36

When is the AZ one expected to be approved? Am I right in thinking large amounts of that have already been made and as soon as it’s approved we are good to go?

Goslowlysideways · 23/12/2020 06:38

I should say that they were all having current treatment at Guys so that's why I was able to get them appointments.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9