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Original poster

Vaccine scheduled but not in highest risk group?

50 replies

VaccineQuestion · 08/01/2021 23:21

Someone I know (not over 80 and no health conditions) has been put on the list to receive a Covid vaccine because they know someone who works at their local who has arranged this. Does this sound right to you? I thought you had to be contacted and were only eligible now if you were over 80, in a care home etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
VaccineQuestion · 08/01/2021 23:22

*at their local hospital, not their ‘local’ as in pub!

OP posts:
quarks · 08/01/2021 23:24

who cares? The more people who get immunised the faster we get out of this. It matters very little who it actually is. I understand the rationale for the priority groups, but who is of secondary importance to how many

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 08/01/2021 23:26

What it 'sounds' is utterly unbelievable.

StatisticalSense · 08/01/2021 23:27

This should not be happening and if you are aware of the identity of the member of NHS staff who is abusing the system they should be reported.

Theunamedcat · 08/01/2021 23:28

They can't do that

Fiddlersgreen · 08/01/2021 23:28

I work in a hospital and we are not able to get vaccine booked for anyone else, including vulnerable family members/friends.
Only ourselves and our patients over 80

lurker101 · 08/01/2021 23:31

Some GPs etc. Have already got through their over 80s, my local surgery is starting on over 75s next week. Depending on where she lives there may be something similar happening or she may have other reasons for getting it that you’re not privy to and is “bragging” about supposed connections....

DenisetheMenace · 08/01/2021 23:32

If you think this is true, call the hospital 🤷‍♀️

Starlitexpress · 08/01/2021 23:35

Due to the large amount of no shows, GPs are phoning pretty much anyone at the end of the day to get them in for a vaccination, it's either that or throw it away.

StatisticalSense · 08/01/2021 23:39

@lurker101
That surgery should be asking other local surgeries for details of those in the top groups that they haven't yet had chance to vaccinate and if there are no such patients available should ask to delay their next batch of vaccinations on the basis they have no appropriate patients to vaccinate.

boydoggies · 08/01/2021 23:46

@StatisticalSense there should be no delay just for other surgeries to catch up. Most surgeries are in a cohort or network so there will be some degree of sharing.

boydoggies · 08/01/2021 23:48

@VaccineQuestion not convinced the person.is telling the truth.

Original poster
VaccineQuestion · 08/01/2021 23:50

I guess my worry is that they have an illness that puts them more at risk and have said this to explain away getting the vaccine at this stage. I know it shouldn’t be any of my business but it’s my aunt so I am worried

OP posts:
lurker101 · 09/01/2021 00:02

@VaccineQuestion if she wanted you to know she would tell you. She may have a partner with vulnerabilities that she doesn’t want to share on their behalf etc.
Don’t worry, especially if she’s getting the vaccine - it should reduce any severe illness from covid.

Covidcovid · 09/01/2021 00:03

I would say it’s perfectly possible. With my local nhs trust you just need the staff link to book a vaccine. So someone who is staff could send the link to someone else. You’re told to bring an ID card but nobody checked my ID card and there are no checks to make sure beforehand that people who have booked are staff.

Which I know because although I’m frontline nhs I don’t technically work for them, they don’t pay me, I’m not on the books, I don’t have a staff email but I booked on ok. So if checks were being done I think it would have flagged me up. I’m 100% sure I’m entitled to it and if need be could have explained to them and I’m sure I’d have been allowed it. But technically I got it because a friend sent me the link.

Your last post says they have an illness, your first says they don’t? Which is it? Maybe that’s why they’ve got it?

Original poster
VaccineQuestion · 09/01/2021 00:07

@Covidcovid - no I mean I’m worried that have an illness (that I don’t know about). Sorry my wording isn’t that clear now I’ve re-read it

OP posts:
boydoggies · 09/01/2021 00:10

Then maybe look at it as a positive that if she's vulnerable she will have a little protection. Maybe she is private about her medical history.

LemonadeFromLemons · 09/01/2021 00:11

Yup. I have a friend who is a frontline NHS worker who says that some frontline workers have received the text message to book their jab and as well as booking their own slot, forwarded the text (with the link, which clearly isn’t a onetime link) to other non qualifying nhs workers who have used it and received the jab.

I find this very believable knowing public service IT systems.

Butterfly44 · 09/01/2021 00:20

Don't think this is true. Those vaccinated are are linked to their medical record. It's a very strict process. They could have a condition you don't know about or be a carer for someone.

ohwhattodowithmylife · 09/01/2021 00:25

I know of situations here where they had more vaccine than anticipated and other people - like health care workers were called in on the off chance they could come straight away to get vaccinated otherwise vaccine would have been disposed of as once a vial is used can only be kept for a few hours. So you may not understand the rationale but I imagine staff are trying to ensure vaccine is used up and not having to be disposed of!!

PickAChew · 09/01/2021 00:25

Oh em gee, sure they need to be aressted and everyfink!

Butterfly44 · 09/01/2021 00:27

@LemonadeFromLemons it's not simply a link. All NHS staff have to book their slot and complete their details in a long booking form as well as signing consent forms. This all gets put on their electronic medical record. In addition all staff have to turn up with their ID which is checked. No ID no vaccine. It's not a quick 5 min thing either. Process including all the checking takes 20 minutes. There are many volunteers working to vaccinate hundreds per day just at our site.

Pugliandreamer · 09/01/2021 00:29

Have they definitely been put on this list? There are a lot of scams going around a the moment. Might be worth checking she hasn't paid anything or given her details to anyone who has called up saying they're putting her on the list for a vaccine.

Butterfly44 · 09/01/2021 00:32

Also once frontline and at risk staff are vaccinated other staff are vaccinated. And as someone mentioned if shots need using up they will definitely not waste them and offer to other staff around.

MamaTookMyEyebrows · 09/01/2021 00:33

That surgery should be asking other local surgeries for details of those in the top groups that they haven't yet had chance to vaccinate and if there are no such patients available should ask to delay their next batch of vaccinations on the basis they have no appropriate patients to vaccinate

God I hate this sort of thinking.