Vaccinations and nepotism

[Mintypylonsfryingsurplus]

Obviously most of us want the vaccination and an end to this nightmare.
But I am aware of several people that have jumped the queue.
1st family Son works in GP surgery in non patient admin role 44 slight asthma never shielded worked throughout. Got vaccine due to leftovers. Great in a way as vaccines should never be wasted. Then got his Mum and stepdad a vaccine (late 60's no health conditions) a vaccine also. Yes they are older but live 32 miles from the surgery so not their surgery and drove a considerable distance. Was told to be there by 4pm in the am of that day.
I thought surely local people who use that surgery should be prioritised especially health care or other frontline workers?
Ok I thought just a one off.
Then one of my DH friend aged 39 again works in surgery occasionally covers reception through a glass booth/ appointment only got the vaccine too. Her partner again about 12 miles but a different county away aged 41 works from home got vaccinated a week later.
They were foolish enough to put on fb (now taken down) as some people were understandably a bit pissed off with this. Comments such as who you know, driving long way not in spirit of lockdown to the outraged as many elderly/ frail/ frontline still patiently in queue.
I am not judging as those that want it will get it eventually, and no vaccine should be wasted, I am just wondering if this is quite common to others too?
It does seem divisive?

A lot of our no shows were for second vaccinations
There are a lot of friend told me, someone (yeah who??) told my husband stories on here
Made up bollocks ?
We have taken staff, patient facing or admin, to use up no shows. Carers attending with relatives have also been given them or patients, any age, have been contacted to ask if they can be at the hospital in 10 minutes
All this means that many hospital based admin have been vaccinated before community based patient facing staff. Are they griping like the bloody OP? No because they understand it is a difficult process, not favouritism and a result of geography and efficiency

Of course, no matter how many times it is explained, the OP does not want to give up her indignation

I think )bigger picture) we need some kind of standby procedure. There’s only so many family and friends that can get to someone’s workplace within the hour.

How gutting to think of vaccine being thrown away

Still it’s early days. I’m sure something could be put in place.

@SinisterBumFacedCat

Frankly I’m more annoyed that people being offered the vaccine can’t be arsed to either turn up or ring and let the surgery know so they have time to book someone else in. The vaccines have a shelf life and this is the bed way of dealing with that. Maybe don’t broadcast it on Facebook, I don’t know, do people risk Facebook statuses saying they couldn’t be arsed to go get vaccinated? I wonder why not.

Absolutely. I know there will be valid reasons for some, but the number of no shows described sounds excessive.

How does it work for people that get the last minute spare doses? Are they still assured the second vaccine within the right time frame event though they weren’t on the appointment list? I hope they are.

The no shows for second jab probably saw the news and assumed second jabs were being cancelled.

It might be no shows or it may be extra vaccine. I read a week or so ago that a vail of the vaccine contains 5 doses, but sometimes you can get 6 vaccines out of a bottle. That could account for some of the doses going spare.

There has been months to work this out and sort out lists. Its not rocket science

Oh do fuck off. The vaccine wasn't even licensed till a couple of days before vaccinations began. Up to that point, no one knew how the logistics around storage and administration would work. Every vaccine is different. And the logistics around a vaccine that has to be kept at sub-zero temperatures and that can't be moved once drawn up are extremely complicated.

Isn't this only with the Pfizer though due to the fact that once defrosted it only lasts up to 5 days - the Oxford can be stored in a regular fridge so I assume that once Oxford is being used more, the issue will abate. I am about to start as a volunteer at a vaccination centre - they are using Pfizer at the moment - from next month they will be using Oxford daily.

We l had my first one before Christmas it was only because l work in a local care home and they had vacince defrosted and some people didn't show bio do they called and asked if any of wanted it. Also was some of the car park Marshall's having it better than throwing it away.

I’d reserve judgement unless I knew the details. I would much rather this than vaccines being thrown away as suggested in various reports today.

I would expect to be vaccinated if I were in a support role in a surgery, working with patient facing colleagues all day.

What i mean though is that there is getting the spares for dose 1 but then they need dose 2 so book in that actually dose remove a vax from someone else higher in the chain. Or 2 people getting 1 dose eavh. As under 50 might not get it this year then they are pushing older under 50 out the way.
If we were buying it there could be more checks on age etc.

As under 50 might not get it this year
Where are you getting that idea from? The government committed to all adults being vaccinated by autumn. Children aren't yet licensed, but say 50 million UK adults want 2 doses (almost everyone). The UK at 2.3m vaccines per week (based on today as the maximum) is already creating enough Oxford vaccine and getting enough vaccine in arms to do all adults in the country in under 42 weeks, i.e. end of October. That ignores any extra supply from Pfizer, Moderna or other vaccines and any additional increases from now. If you want a vaccine this year as an adult in the UK then I think you'll get one.

Maybe but logically any teachers or parents will have caught it by then once they release restrictions. just really hope the vax prevents transmission

I appreciate you are clearly concerned, but that isn't a logical conclusion based on the course of the pandemic so far.

Carping about the allocation of the vaccine is misplaced; the effort has been fantastic and the proportion of vulnerable over 80s vaccinated is testament to that.

@Mintypylonsfryingsurplus

Ok so nepotism is fine then if its you and yours. Thought so. Yet another lack of strategy planning and thought from the top.

It isn't, it's to finish off doses. Mark Porter, who is a GP in Gloucester, write for the Times and said that they had 47 doses left after their first day, so they phoned around loads of people they knew and every dose was used. Should they have thrown them away because of "nepotism"?

No of course they shouldn't.

And they had more doses left because they realised they could get an extra dose out of every vial.

Its fine to close this thread now there are plenty of cases for further debate on the cheating vaccine thread tonight. Its all made for very interesting reading of differing viewpoints.

I don't think it matters, someone who works in a GP surgery or a relative of them is at risk. Better than waste it. Is the plan that everyone will be covered eventually ?

@MintypylonsfryingsurplusMinty - you know you can't just decide to close a thread and people will stop posting?

It isn't licenced for use in under 16s so the law has been broken here. However if they work in the home, in whatever capacity, then they are entitled to the jag (the 18 year old, not the 16 year old

That makes no sense

For those that have had leftovers. I’m just wondering about the 2nd dose? Do you have to do the same route or are you prioritised?

@Turquoisesofa

Teachers at my school have been asked to register if they want to be on a list for left over vaccine. You have to be able to get to the centre with an hour’s notice.

This is really good. I also have no issue with any healthcare working it but would rather other key workers have it than the hcps relatives coming from Miles away That all said, the most important thing is that it’s not wasted

Yes, giving it to others is preferable to 'wasting it', better yet to give it to elderly/vulnerable. How hard can it be?

@Ohbabybab

For those that have had leftovers. I’m just wondering about the 2nd dose? Do you have to do the same route or are you prioritised?

My partner had a ‘leftover’ Vaccine..... he was given a follow up appointment card