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?

@Kitkat151 that puts those doing the vaccinations in a very difficult position,
you actually have to say where you work on the form.

@Workyticket

My cousin had hers last week. She's a manager in the NHS. Has been wfh since March. 36. No health issues

But if she got ill she wouldn’t be able to wfh, and presumably her job helps to keep her bit of the nhs working smoothly. Sounds to me an ideal candidate for a left over dose.

I do wonder how they are going to organise the second dose for the walk ins though. I hope someone is keeping good records!

on their conscious be it then

It smacks of bad organisation. Most patients will live close by and could get to an appointment within 3-4hrs but instead some have defaulted to family and friends. We should all be treated equally within the NHS in order of clinical priority.

@Kitkat151 - opticians are included in the priority group, like dentists they need to care for people from a close distance in confined spaces.

I'd feel a lot more comfortable about it if priority lists were used. Seems like the fairest way of distributing scarce resources. I wouldn't expect the flu vaccine or other NHS treatments to be given in an ad hoc fashion.

i dont think it would be fair for 80 years to be on some sort of cancellation list

@Skipsurvey they don't need to be, they currently are the group being vaccinated

[quote MRex]@Kitkat151 - opticians are included in the priority group, like dentists they need to care for people from a close distance in confined spaces.[/quote]
Exactly....my daughter ( as an optical assistant) has every right to a vaccination....it’s the system that is flawed....the one that’s allows her and her colleagues to pass this link on to friends/family for the, also to book on ( not that my daughter has I hasten to add!).

It wouldn't, but no reason why people in their 70s within a few miles couldn't be offered reserve list status. Starting with anyone with heart disease or diabetes. Or, as I suggested earlier, call police / fire brigade to send whoever's free.

I'm sure these processes will get established over time so people can book a reserve list or whatever, most important is not wasting vaccines in the meantime.

Why can't people be given the choice about being on a cancellation list? I don't think anyone is suggesting it should be compulsory but there are people in the top 4 groups who would be happy to go on a cancellation list e.g. NHS and care home staff who still haven't got the vaccine. If they phoned the care home where I work and said we've got some spare doses do you want them we'd get staff there no problem.

@Kitkat151 - are you quite sure they can, and don't have their names being validated?

what kind of world are we becoming when we are denying a vaccination and bitchy about who has it and who hasnt, awful state of affairs.

A world where people want transparency? As they do for any other service?

A world where those at most risk of dying of covid get priority for leftover vaccine over people's friends and family?

a world where people are bitching about supposed nepotism, if it even happens and is not just heresy, a world where people blame other people for not obeying the rules

the op who claims not to be judging quotes 4 people in the opening post.

Any system is going to have a few people who bend the rules - this is to be expected.

The important thing is that the vast majority of the system works as effectively and efficiently as possible. Trying to design a system that was totally fair and without any wiggle room would be an unbelievable strain on already limited resources.

This is why it was easier to do a blanket policy for all NHS staff be they front line facing or not.

I'm sure if the system is being 'abused', then that will start to show up in the statistics at some point, as every vaccine is registered - but I imagine the reality is that you are talking about a few vaccines here and there.

I agree NHS staff must be a priority and also the over 80, I don’t want vaccine wasted but it smacks of chaos, just jabbing the nearest person who happens to be related to someone working at the GP’s. Not exactly forming an orderly queue. Will the rest of us have to wait longer as a result?

i dont think anyone is just jabbing the nearest person, having now read the thread, so glad most people are not getting hot under the collar, awkward for the op though, who did not seem to get the angst she/he wanted.

@viques
I do wonder how they are going to organise the second dose for the walk ins though. I hope someone is keeping good records!

When you have your first jab you are given an appointment for your second one, regardless of how you came by the first one. It’s got to be like that so they can fulfil the 12 week interval.

[quote Frazzled2207]@Watermelon999
Absolutely my CEV 76 year old df would be there like a shot[/quote]
My dm 75 would too. She’s basically at home waiting for the letter, nothing else to do.

I have no issue with this. Priority is getting as many people vaccinated as soon as possible not binning doses of vaccines or fannying around phoning people on the off chance someone list-approved can come in in the “right order”. Just get them done.

I also have no issue with people who have been at risk on the front line for months, having a benefit in getting their loved ones vaccinated too. I just can’t get excited about it.

I absolutely loathe pointless red tape and bureaucracy. Is it true that GP surgeries who have vaccinated all their 80+ patients are being made to wait before starting on the next group, because other surgeries are still working through their 80+ patients? I saw that on Twitter. I hope that’s not true.