Was I “ being self entitled “ to request a vaccination with relevant proof and back up from medical team.

[Whattheactual20201]

I have a DD7 ( 2 other children ) my 7 year old is complex and requires nursing care that I provide ( IV meds/ fluids via IV line / cpap ) unfortunately only one other person is trained in her cares who currently also works with in the NHS so is pretty busy right now can’t take time off work etc

If I was to catch covid I one wouldn’t be able to isolate from her putting her at risk. She would have to be admitted in to hospital taking up a bed space which are important right now if I was to fall sick with covid.
Medical team advocated for me to receive a vaccine and I have it next week. This has caused uproar of me pushing in front of line. However I am extremely anxious about this and keeping daughter from having to do go in to hospital on her own and also the pressure on the NHS already.

I think individual classes should be provided for if the need is great as is yours. The problem with the priority list is there is varying need in each. Carers and NHS staff for example.
Op when your little one was in NICU who gave care to your daughter ? Ia your partner not trained ? I think it's well worth looking more into specialist carers even for respite. I work with children in hospital and I've seen this provided it shouldn't all fall to you.

You have a stronger right than most to the vaccine. You can happily go ahead of me in the queue.

'Uproar' with whom? Idiots, that's who. Ignore the chattering fools.

Healthcare professionals have made a professionally-evidenced case that you are a priority for the vaccine, which has been agreed by the medical professionals in charge of the vaccination programme.

But your 'friend' knows better. Righty-ho. Epidemiologist is she? Immunologist perhaps? Hospital manager in charge of bed allocation? No?

Perhaps your 'friend' could share how, exactly, a person with an inflated sense of entitlement can use that misplaced belief to place themselves at the front of the vaccine queue. I think a lot of other people would love to have access to those tactics.

By the same token of course, you should take no notice of the chatterings of a bunch of anonymous internet insomniacs.

Do we know better than the medical professionals in charge of the vaccination programme? We do not. All we can do is reassure you that your friend is being a nob.

If anyone (your friend included) wants to take up any grievances about the vaccine prioritisation process, they should write to their MP. Picking on the vulnerable and their families, or expecting those people to provide a listening ear for a world of personal dissatisfaction, does not seem like a good choice.

I don’t think this person is a friend, never mind best friend!

You absolutely should get the vaccine as soon as you can, ignore anyone who says otherwise

Ignore your ‘friend’. If she gets in your face, you can tell her she’s welcome to contact her dcs doctor and hospital medical team and ask to be bumped up the list.

The trouble is there are thousands of people in the same situation as you everyone life should be equally treasured. There is a systematic roll out for a reason so yes I do think you are.

I think those who think the OP is being entitled should give their heads a wobble
HIdden away in this country are homes where a bedroom is effectively turned into a hospital room with oxygen supplies, tube feeding, medications, tracheostomy equipment etc etc with an unstable vulnerable patient who needs 24/7 hands on care. Their Carers are front line staff who should be vaccinated along with NHS frontline staff.
OP I have personal experience of all this. I salute you.

@Pixxie7

The trouble is there are thousands of people in the same situation as you everyone life should be equally treasured. There is a systematic roll out for a reason so yes I do think you are.

And those people’s medical teams can and will advocate for carers like OP to get the vaccine sooner than carers with less need.

I am a Lp with no family support and a ds with Asd/adhd...
However it makes perfect sense you were prioritised and I am not.

It’s really hard. I’m frontline nhs and had my vaccine but I’ve not mentioned that to my extremely anxious friend with her shedding husband. It won’t help her anxiety and she’ll feel a sense of unfairness. I’m not a manager and most people not understanding my job would understand why I’m at risk (I visit and support different depts across the hospital). I feel guilty because my family is very low risk.

The line is - when you get offered accept it. Let them get it in you and move to the next.

The only negative opinion you've received is from your friend? How much of an "uproar" are we talking about here? Did she make one misjudged comment? Or have you completely fallen out? Did she accuse you of being entitled, jumping the queue? Has she backed down or apologised when you explained your situation?

Perhaps if you are very close and best friends for a long time you can make some allowances for her? Are her comments out of character? She has a child with difficult needs herself and the pandemic and lockdown has affected everyone's mental state. She might be coming from a place of fear/anxiety or be highly stressed, even envious of you.

Perhaps she feels that you don't acknowledge that her situation with a SEN child is difficult too, you've been so absorbed with your own issues and talking about your own battle to get a vaccination? I don't know, I think its worth considering why she over reacted here and deciding if you can forgive a friend.

Good luck with your jab next week, please don't feel guilty for receiving it

A new phenomenon. The Vaccine Band Police.

Shun anyone who polices anyone for any CV reason. Just shun the fuckers. They don't belong in an adult society.

I don't think as the medical team has agreed that you are anything but deserving if it.

But I think it was at best tactless to tell your friend. It could easily have come across badly.
It's the sort of thing you feel relieved for yourself, but don't tell people.

The other thing is, to my understanding, that they are unsure about asymptomatic cases, and whether you can be asymptomatic and still spread it even after the vaccine, so please don't think you're safe to go out as normal afterwards until that is known.

Ignore your so-called ‘friend’. The level of care you deliver is clearly very complex. I’m CEV but recognise people like you should obviously be ahead of me in the queue.

Oh lovely lady - you have given so much and are still giving and giving. You have every right to that vaccine .

Only one other person is trained in (dd's) care and they work for the NHS, really busy and can't take time off work
Is that her father?

It would be sensible for a stand by carer to be given training in your daughter's care. It must be difficult to essentially place your daughter's life in another person's hands but it would avoid a hospital admission. Particularly as dd's second carer is currently unavailable. I don't know if that's a possibility or something the NHS would help you with?

Covid aside, there may be occasions in the future when you (her primary carer) are unavailable for any reason. And this would also give you the opportunity for some rare respite.

It's prudent to have the vaccine but potentially difficult if you have very little other safety net in case you are ill or incapacitated in other ways.

Glad you're getting the vaccine, the vaccine police are just the next teedious stage of this pandemic.

No at all.

Not unreasonable at all OP. For context, I'm NHS, absolutely not front line but my team classed as patient facing ( untrue!) we see clients virtually, but I got my vaccine as I knew would be changing role to frontline ASAP. There is much manipulation going on and you should be prioritised absolutely. Main point wanted to make which I almost forgot is just be prepared for significant but very short term side effects, nausea, aches, fevers, etc, took me by surprise ... I also salute you and other parents in situations like this particularly when community nursing support is limited due to covid

I'm really glad to hear you are getting vaccinated.

What's the general policy/priority with unpaid carers? Several members of my extended family are unpaid carers and one also works as a self employed carer. Is there anything in place or will they be called by their own age group?