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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:
Frazzled2207 · 23/12/2020 10:00

@FleeceNavidadToEwe

My dad had an appointment last week, so mum went too and they were able to fit her in. Several people failed the screening questions so were not eligible, so there was spare vaccine that had to be used up.

It was a bit chaotic but it's early days.

on what basis did they fail the screening? I know that it's not advised if you're pregnant or bf but I didn't think they were refusing it on many other grounds?
Moonandstars25 · 23/12/2020 10:06

My great Nana, over 80, in care home in GM hasn’t had it yet. My grandmother and her partner both over 80, live in the community in a tier 4 area haven’t had it either. But I do have friends who work at a hospital who have had it. It is coming but it takes time and this vaccine isn’t the easiest to store and roll out. They are overcoming it and hopefully if the Oxford one is approved soon it will be ramped up and areas with shortages will get it.

luckylavender · 23/12/2020 10:10

@purpleboy - if everyone did that there'd be no one to give the vaccines. So incredibly selfish.

luckylavender · 23/12/2020 10:13

@IrmaFayLear - I know lots of people over 80 with & without smartphones who can't do those things.

rosy71 · 23/12/2020 10:13

Dp's parents are over 80 and haven't had theirs yet although several of their friends have. Their friends have received phone calls asking them to go.

ancientgran · 23/12/2020 10:19

There were only 800000 doses in the first batch, so that's enough for 400000 people which comes no where near covering all the over 85 year olds. Heard some expert on news this morning saying two doses of Pfizer vaccine gives 95% protection, one dose gives 91% and he says they should stop holding back 400,000 for second doses and use the vaccine. No idea if it is true but I did think it sounds reasonable if the second dose only gives 4% extra protection.

I know 2 people who have had the vaccine, one is 80+ with cancer and one is a doctor.

hazelnutlatte · 23/12/2020 10:37

I work in a GP practice and we vaccinated our first 500 patients on Saturday. Lots of practices do not have any vaccine to give yet so calling them won't help. Our doses went to over 80's who are able to get to the vaccination site (which is a local ish community centre for us, though we hope to be able to vaccinate at our practice at weekends soon for those who can't get there). Our local CCG is still working out the logistics of getting the vaccines to care home residents and housebound patients so none of them have had the vaccinations yet. Its important to get this right - no one wants to waste doses because they are not stored or defrosted correctly.
Everyone delivering the vaccine, including the admin staff, receptionists as well as clinical staff is doing this outside of usual working hours so we can continue to provide all of our normal services. We are doing our best to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Our phone lines are absolutely rammed this week and we have multiple staff members who are unwell or are self isolating so we are struggling. I imagine this is similar in many practices. We are lucky in that we are a large practice so staff can cover each other and we can make changes quickly, smaller practices will find this difficult.
I would really encourage people not to ring their GP to ask when they will be vaccinated - check their fb page and websites for updates and leave the phone lines for people who are unwell.

LynetteScavo · 23/12/2020 10:41

My DM has heard nothing, but he younger sibling in another area (fewer health issues than DM as far as l know) has already been vaccinated) DM is very jealous!

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/12/2020 10:46

I emailed the surgery for my Mum and she got an appointment for the next day. Organised a volunteer car to take her, and the same man is taking her for her second jab in January.

HUCKMUCK · 23/12/2020 10:54

GP practices are 'going live' in waves - a new wave each week. There is quite a complicated sign off process for their site to be approved, they have to staff it and can only give however many vaccines they are sent which is currently a one off delivery of 975 doses (more if they can get a sixth dose out of most vials). There is a whole new set of training for vaccinators and they have a new IT system they all have to use to enter vaccination data - they can't just enter it on their existing patient records. In many cases, they don't know when they will get vaccines for another 975 people. They have to commit to being able to use the 975 on people over 80. So for example, if they have 1200 patients over 80, they can get their first 975 but not a second batch because they are not allowed to open it up to the next cohort.

It is a logistical feat and, despite what a lot of people think about how crap general practice is, what they are doing to get this rolled out is phenomenal.

mumfordofson · 23/12/2020 10:58

82 year old DF with COPD only had his first vaccination yesterday (South West) but he didn't need any transport, as he is still ok to drive.

Choux · 23/12/2020 11:04

My parents (both 80+) got a call from their surgery yesterday about 10am and were given appointments to get the vaccine at 6.30pm last night. The site was a health centre in a neighbouring small town.

Perhaps the local organisers wait till they know they have the vaccine ready to go and then round up as many local over 80s as possible.

Worth noting though that if my parents had missed the call as they were sleeping, showering, slow to get to phone they may not have picked up a voicemail or received a callback later so might have missed getting it.

Over half of trusts have not received any vaccine yet and probably no area has enough for all over 80s so it's a bit of a postcode lottery I think. Have heard of vaccines being given last week in rural Cornwall and others in Home Counties towns who have not heard anything.

Choux · 23/12/2020 11:17

It is a logistical feat and, despite what a lot of people think about how crap general practice is, what they are doing to get this rolled out is phenomenal.

I agree. Despite the roll out process being done at top speed the organisation was pretty good when my parents got it last night. Volunteer firemen taking patient details and delivering to vaccinators (who were working in evening after their day job), all details input into laptops, patients issued with stickers saying what time the 15 minute wait post injection ended. Firemen chatting to patients and even offering chocolates. And 2nd vaccine appt was organised during the 15 min wait.

Everyone was getting appointments for the same time in 21 days so no doubt it will be all the same people attending at the same time for injection 2! My parents enjoyed the outing!

Needingsupportplease · 23/12/2020 11:19

My Grandparents both in their 80s had it last week, West Yorkshire.

BiscuitDrama · 23/12/2020 11:27

Looking at your hopes: I thought I was being reasonable hoping they would be protected by early February but I'm now wondering whether they will.

There’s till lots of time for this? Smile
Full immunity is from seven days after the second dose, so 28 days after the first.

purpleboy · 23/12/2020 11:30

@luckylavender sorry I'm not understanding what your trying to say?

GwendolineWindowlene · 23/12/2020 11:30

@Choux

It is a logistical feat and, despite what a lot of people think about how crap general practice is, what they are doing to get this rolled out is phenomenal.

I agree. Despite the roll out process being done at top speed the organisation was pretty good when my parents got it last night. Volunteer firemen taking patient details and delivering to vaccinators (who were working in evening after their day job), all details input into laptops, patients issued with stickers saying what time the 15 minute wait post injection ended. Firemen chatting to patients and even offering chocolates. And 2nd vaccine appt was organised during the 15 min wait.

Everyone was getting appointments for the same time in 21 days so no doubt it will be all the same people attending at the same time for injection 2! My parents enjoyed the outing!

That sounds excellent, bravo to those who are pulling out the stops and being so well organised.

Hopefully they have a few firemen left by the time it’s my turn. Grin

BiscuitDrama · 23/12/2020 11:31

Well, some time Grin

Kazzyhoward · 23/12/2020 11:33

The GP surgeries in our town haven't started yet - on their website, it says "mid January". The two other towns started 2 weeks ago. But, our town's GP surgeries have form for being slow - they're usually behind the others when it comes to flu jabs too. That's the trouble with the NHS - far too fragmented and inconsistent.

BiscuitDrama · 23/12/2020 11:34

[quote luckylavender]@purpleboy - if everyone did that there'd be no one to give the vaccines. So incredibly selfish. [/quote]
I agree that it’s probably best not to phone the GP.

But I don’t think that asking the receptionist is going to prevent the medical staff from administering the vaccine. I’m sure they’re able to prioritise phoning and giving the vaccine. Smile

SillyOldMummy · 23/12/2020 11:37

My mum over 80, no invitation yet

ilhahih · 23/12/2020 11:48

on what basis did they fail the screening? I know that it's not advised if you're pregnant or bf but I didn't think they were refusing it on many other grounds?

Allergies. They are not giving it to anyone who has had any severe allergic reactions to medications or vaccines in the past. My elderly relative was not allowed to have the vaccine as he had a severe reaction to aspirin 20 years ago.

luckylavender · 23/12/2020 12:07

@purpleboy - the NHS is on its knees. People have been asked not to call. What's not to understand?

purpleboy · 23/12/2020 12:17

@luckylavender oh so you think because he called the doctors that means there is no one to give the vaccines.Confused yes pretty sure that still doesn't make sense.
On top of which I actually didn't state the reason for his call to the dr, but yes he did ask about it when he was on the phone, pretty sure his asking has nothing to do with him getting the call the next day. But cool you want to create drama where this is none and call people selfish. Crack on. It's not like people have enough shit to deal with without randoms on the internet being uninformed nosey fuckers.

luckylavender · 23/12/2020 12:28

@purpleboy - I'm responding directly to what you said, which was

Can't hurt to give them a call. Good luck.

So I'm not an ill informed nosey fucker (charming btw), I haven't tapped your phone.

We've been told not to call, you decided that wasn't advice you wanted to follow.

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