Vaccine queue jumping making me feel angry

[Snog]

SIL has been vaccinated already- she is a healthy 40 year old, works from home, no caring responsibilities.

It's made me feel surprisingly angry. I'm not clear how she managed it at this point. On a personal level I like SIL so am pleased for her but god I feel angry at the injustice.

I know some people have picked up "spare" doses but surely even the spare doses should be managed according to health priorities? Eg at least finding someone in groups 1-9 to vaccinate if not in groups 1-4.

AIBU to feel angry about this?

There isn't the capacity to sort out a system for allocating spare doses specifically according to priority. Have a look at NoMoreMuchin's post, it can be done.

A GP has told me that they are no longer to offer 'end of day' vaccinations, and anything left should be disposed of. He is furious.

I know a GP practice that called up the local community pharmacy and offered their staff the vaccine. My friend ended up being vaccinated this way. She is 28, no underlying health conditions but is technically patient facing. I work in a hospital, patient facing and come into contact with covid patients regularly. Im due my next week but I could of had the dose 2 weeks ago instead of her as on paper I’m a greater risk than her. But frankly I don’t care- I’m just glad we are vaccinating as many people as possible. Yes ideally we would be using these spare for those higher up on the list but it isn’t as simple as calling individuals quickly. In GP practices they are doing the vaccine administration alongside their usual work, they haven’t got massive amounts of more resources for this. In this case they called the pharmacy and I think 5 of the workers there that day got it through one phone call.

@Lovemusic33

If there was a list then almost everybody would want to be on it so it wouldn’t work.

If you go down one category, so now they are supposed to be doing 1 - 4 so the next group is 5, then it won't be everyone.

If they told us we could go and wait in the car for an hour at the end of the session on the off chance there was spare vaccine we'd go.

Yes, I'd happily do this too. I'm in my late 40s so nowhere on the priority list, but worried as 45 seems to be the age when the curve of bad outcomes sharply rises.

’A GP has told me that they are no longer to offer 'end of day' vaccinations, and anything left should be disposed of. He is furious.’

Because of the petty, small-minded attitude of people like the OP.

I agree OP, but you'll get called all sorts of names and accused of being all sorts of horrible things on here for even suggesting that things could be perhaps be done a little more fairly. Mumsnet thought police get VERY angry with anyone thinking anything other than "as long as its not gone to waste/in the bin etc".

No critical thinking allowed or suggesting other ways is acceptable.

I see no issue with the left over vaccine being used by other people. The more people vaccinated, the better. I really don't care who gets vaccinated before me. My time will come. Your issue is with your SIL, stop being pathetic.

DH has his this afternoon, I'm driving him because I have an errand nearby. I'm CV (group 6) and work in a school and he fully intends to ask if there are any spares and can I have one. I'm prepared for them to say no and I wouldn't take one from someone else but a spare at the end of the day? Damn right I want it!

@AuntyPasta

’A GP has told me that they are no longer to offer 'end of day' vaccinations, and anything left should be disposed of. He is furious.’

Because of the petty, small-minded attitude of people like the OP.

No because people are bending the rules. The pharmacist who was on the news yesterday said they are licensed to have a list of people they can call in at short notice from the next priority group, so if they are down to group 4 they can call in group 5 not their daughter/friend etc.

@hangsangwitch

I agree OP, but you'll get called all sorts of names and accused of being all sorts of horrible things on here for even suggesting that things could be perhaps be done a little more fairly. Mumsnet thought police get VERY angry with anyone thinking anything other than "as long as its not gone to waste/in the bin etc".

No critical thinking allowed or suggesting other ways is acceptable.

Are you REALLY not reading the responses from some of those posters who are working in GP surgeries, hospitals etc and understanding what their issues are?

Nobody is suggesting that some people are abusing their position to get family members and freinds on that last minute list (there will be ramifications later for that I suspect). But it is not widespread corruption. Just read... see what people who are involved are saying is happening!

Theres a few threads on this. On the flip side, there are plenty of appointments not being filled as those in the eligible groups aren't aware they can go online and book before getting a letter (if you aren't eligible it won't let you book).

@Rockbird

DH has his this afternoon, I'm driving him because I have an errand nearby. I'm CV (group 6) and work in a school and he fully intends to ask if there are any spares and can I have one. I'm prepared for them to say no and I wouldn't take one from someone else but a spare at the end of the day? Damn right I want it!

Meanwhile people in groups 1 to 5 will still be waiting. Well done.

@Snog

Surely it's the case that her vaccination may have some at the cost of someone else's life?

Oh don’t be so dramatic. If she has been vaccinated doesn’t it mean she won’t get it and therefore won’t pass it on, so save someone’s life?

One size does not fit all. Vaccinations are being given in all sorts of places.

A GP has told me that they are no longer to offer 'end of day' vaccinations, and anything left should be disposed of. He is furious

That's disgusting, what a fucking waste.

@AuntyPasta

’A GP has told me that they are no longer to offer 'end of day' vaccinations, and anything left should be disposed of. He is furious.’

Because of the petty, small-minded attitude of people like the OP.

Not in all areas. At our Vax Centre they up the end of day vaccines on the volunteers working at the centre that day - I know this as I'm a health coordinator at ours.

I tell you what. Let's suspend the vaccination programme until we figure out a scrupulously fair way of administering it in exact order of need and priority.

Or we can just make the decision that its far quicker and easier to work through the groups and get upwards of 250k people a day jabbed even if it means that some people in those groups are getting it ahead of people in other groups.

Its better that some "unworthy" admin staff get the jab as part of a broader roll out to NHS staff in a particular hospital or health centre than it is to work out a priority list and dick about working out who should ho ahead of who. Just get everyone from one place of work done and move on.

The marshalls are probably deserving it but why wait till the last half hour to work out you had doses left or did the 20 people who didn't turn up all having appointments in the last half hour?

Because people turn up late - can you imagine if you were late, for a perfectly legitimate reason, and we had given your vaccine to someone else? Someone less eligible?

We give vaccines to NHS staff, if there in an emergency they turn up late, sometimes hours late and they can't always let us know. We also vaccinate patients, some of whom also turn up hours late because their prior appointment ran late (e.g. their chemo or MRI scan) and they have no way of contacting us. Or they do contact us but are even later than anticipated. So we wait until the last possible point to give them away. I would hate it if 80yo Mabel (category 2) arrived 2 hours late because the ambulance failed to collect her at the required time and we had given her vaccine to Bob (category 5) down the street.

@Snog

It was a "spare " dose at the end of the day

Then what’s your problem? You’d have preferred it to be thrown away?

Did you mean to quote me ancientgran?

Pharmacists have their list.. often of all people in all groups. They have been issued them up front.

Many GP surgeries and hospitals ect are reliant on a hub process - they don't know who is on their whole list. They only get their category list as it is released.

How bloody hard is that to understand? The process is buggered. That's a shortfall of the NHS and how it works. But they are doing what they can!

@Rockbird

DH has his this afternoon, I'm driving him because I have an errand nearby. I'm CV (group 6) and work in a school and he fully intends to ask if there are any spares and can I have one. I'm prepared for them to say no and I wouldn't take one from someone else but a spare at the end of the day? Damn right I want it!

Good luck, I do hope if there’s one left you get it. Each person vaccinated is a step closer to ending restrictions.

To the people saying you are taking it from someone in group 1-5, what do you expect them to do, spend their day phoning random people from those tiers to get them in on time before the vaccine has become unusable?

ancientgran

So you would prefer it went in the bin rather than go to Rockbird? Because that is the reality, not that it would go to a 1-5 person instead.

@InterfectoremVulpes

I tell you what. Let's suspend the vaccination programme until we figure out a scrupulously fair way of administering it in exact order of need and priority.

Or we can just make the decision that its far quicker and easier to work through the groups and get upwards of 250k people a day jabbed even if it means that some people in those groups are getting it ahead of people in other groups.

Its better that some "unworthy" admin staff get the jab as part of a broader roll out to NHS staff in a particular hospital or health centre than it is to work out a priority list and dick about working out who should ho ahead of who. Just get everyone from one place of work done and move on.

Or the hubs/GPs/pharmacies could do what they have been told to do, have a list of eligible people able to come in at short notice rather than GPs giving it to their family and friends.