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Original poster

Everyone over 70 in England can now book themselves!

442 replies

notevenat20 · 30/01/2021 14:48

www.nhs.uk/book-a-coronavirus-vaccination/do-you-have-an-nhs-number

I had no idea. Apologies if this is common knowledge.

OP posts:
TammyTwoSwanson · 01/02/2021 12:15

@IToldYouIWasFreaky

For those who have had it, or know people who have, did you go on your own? My mum is due to go on Friday and it's about a 30min drive to her appointment. She's very fit and healthy and independent and, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of offering to accompany her to medical appointments but I'm wondering whether I should this time? Is there any chance she might have a funny turn afterwards, or any issues with driving?
DH drove me this morning. I could have driven myself but he came "just incase" which I was fine with. I felt a bit sick on the way home, but I get car sick anyway so probably unrelated to jab.
Parky04 · 01/02/2021 12:15

My DM has an appointment now booked for Thursday. Thanks for the heads up.

Imaginethis · 01/02/2021 12:29

Fussy Chica: please do tell your neighbour it’s really not cheating. After booking my appointment I received the letter inviting me to book. Our post is very unpredictable and her letter could be languishing somewhere

Skyppy · 01/02/2021 12:37

@IToldYouIWasFreaky

For those who have had it, or know people who have, did you go on your own? My mum is due to go on Friday and it's about a 30min drive to her appointment. She's very fit and healthy and independent and, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of offering to accompany her to medical appointments but I'm wondering whether I should this time? Is there any chance she might have a funny turn afterwards, or any issues with driving?
I honestly don't think so. If you are driving they ask you to wait in your car afterwards for 15 minutes just in case. If you were going to have a dramatic allergic reaction it would happen then. Very rare anyway. I had a sore arm on day two and nothing else. Some people get a bit achey on day 2 or 3. Unless you are in regular close contact with your mum shemight be safer going alone than car sharing with you.
Original poster
notevenat20 · 01/02/2021 12:42

I agree but if this is the case why is the wording on the website very specific regarding waiting for a letter.

They don't want people who are not eligible trying. That's all. I also work for a large bureacracy and things are often badly worded.

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 01/02/2021 12:53

@55larry

Thank you for the link. Dh who is 74 had his letter yesterday and booked his appointment for Monday. I am 69 but I have diabetes so I decided to try the link and it let me book. You have to put your NHS no. in so they can check your records. I had to chose which of the big centres to to and have to drive for about 30 minutes. I wonder if there are a lot of people who are waiting for an appointment at their GP surgery.

I feel that as I can travel it is better to let people who haven’t got transport have the very local appointments.

I am surprised you got an appointment. I'm 66 and Diabetic and the site said I wasn't eligible.

Really pleased that your DH did though.

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 01/02/2021 12:54

@Skyppy, thanks, that's helpful! I should have said that she's in our bubble anyway, as she lives alone so there'd be no additional risk. But it's reassuring to know that there's no need.

Fifthtimelucky · 01/02/2021 13:08

@fussychica

My neighbour won't book because of the Wait for your letter banner. I've tried to explain but she somehow feels it's cheating. Oh well you can lead a horse etc
My husband (70) is exactly the same. He followed the link to investigate, but will not use it because of the clear instructions not to do so without the letter.

Shouldn't be too much longer anyway, I hope.

TammyTwoSwanson · 01/02/2021 13:37

I booked after this thread last night, and got my vaccine this morning. When I arrived home, I got a letter inviting me for the vaccine, postmarked two weeks ago. And just now, I got a text, inviting me to book it at my local surgery (I got the vaccine at a big centre half an hour away). It's like busses!

So if you can book, you may as well!

IrmaFayLear · 01/02/2021 13:43

Just booked Grin

Went for vaccine centre 45 mins away. Good job I’m not on foot (although I would have happily crawled through a 100-mile snake pit to get there).

Local GP is still ploughing through over 80s so time to give up on that one.

IrmaFayLear · 01/02/2021 13:45

Actually, I’m looking forward to driving somewhere! Must have my appointment details handy as I wouldn’t want to get accused of sneaking out for a jolly if I’m stopped by the police....

CaveMum · 01/02/2021 14:21

@Jaxhog some areas are further ahead in their vaccination programme than others. Keep checking every few days as they will be updating the lists of those done on a daily basis.

TammyTwoSwanson · 01/02/2021 14:28

@TammyTwoSwanson

I booked after this thread last night, and got my vaccine this morning. When I arrived home, I got a letter inviting me for the vaccine, postmarked two weeks ago. And just now, I got a text, inviting me to book it at my local surgery (I got the vaccine at a big centre half an hour away). It's like busses!

So if you can book, you may as well!

Also meant to say, my text said I was eligible from 29th December. Further proof that booking if you can is the right thing to do, I think!
Original poster
notevenat20 · 01/02/2021 14:34

Also meant to say, my text said I was eligible from 29th December. Further proof that booking if you can is the right thing to do, I think!

Yes, yes, yes!!!

OP posts:
Marmighty · 01/02/2021 15:16

Thanks OP, just seen this, told my parents and they're booked in for tomorrow. We've just all had a big cry down the phone together.

Wigeon · 01/02/2021 15:18

@IToldYouIWasFreaky

For those who have had it, or know people who have, did you go on your own? My mum is due to go on Friday and it's about a 30min drive to her appointment. She's very fit and healthy and independent and, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't dream of offering to accompany her to medical appointments but I'm wondering whether I should this time? Is there any chance she might have a funny turn afterwards, or any issues with driving?
@IToldYouIWasFreaky - if she gets Pfizer, she will have to wait 15 mins under observation anyway. If she gets AstraZeneca, there’s no observation period but will be advised to wait 15 mins before driving, which she can do sitting in the car.
Wigeon · 01/02/2021 15:34

@StepOutOfToxicity

the invites are only going to people within a 45 min travel time That seems a bit restrictive. Some people are going to have to wait weeks longer simply because the system has worked out they live 50-60 minutes away. I would happily drive 1hr30, and certainly 60 mins.

This seems to disadvantage certain areas where there is only one mass hub, e.g. the South-west where there is only on in Bristol for the whole region.

Why not remove the distance/time restriction and allow people who are eligible for a vaccine to make up their own mind?

@StepOutOfToxicity - if they sent letters to people more than 45 mins away, they’d get all that negative press when people were being given Covid test centres 100 miles away...So 45 mins max was seen as a reasonable maximum.

It’s not efficient to set up mass vaccs centres in areas which aren’t densely populated, like the SW, so that’s covered by lots and lots of GP-led sites and some pharmacy-led sites. Almost the entire population are within 10 miles of one kind of vaccination location.

Original poster
notevenat20 · 01/02/2021 15:34

Thanks OP, just seen this, told my parents and they're booked in for tomorrow. We've just all had a big cry down the phone together.

Just the best news. Thank you.

OP posts:
Freetodowhatiwant · 01/02/2021 15:42

When you click through does it also ask for your GP? My parents have moved and have not yet signed up to their new one although they have resigned from their old one.

CaveMum · 01/02/2021 15:46

@Freetodowhatiwant

When you click through does it also ask for your GP? My parents have moved and have not yet signed up to their new one although they have resigned from their old one.
It doesn’t ask for your GP details but does ask for the postcode you used to register with your GP, so if they are not in the books anywhere yet they might have issues booking this way.
AngelsWithSilverWings · 01/02/2021 15:52

My mum is 73 and tried to book via that link but it wouldn't let her. She got at far as choosing the two dates but then it asked her to confirm her choices before telling her the appt was no longer available. She's tried multiple times but can't get a confirmed appointment so she's given up.

nivular · 01/02/2021 15:56

@AngelsWithSilverWings

My mum is 73 and tried to book via that link but it wouldn't let her. She got at far as choosing the two dates but then it asked her to confirm her choices before telling her the appt was no longer available. She's tried multiple times but can't get a confirmed appointment so she's given up.
That just means someone else has taken the slot. Once you choose your time you need to confirm it quickly or else you might get that message! Could you do it for her?
IrmaFayLear · 01/02/2021 17:14

Yes, I kept choos8ng and then being thwarted. It’s like Fastest Finger in Who Wants to be a Millionaire !!

StepOutOfToxicity · 01/02/2021 17:23

@Wigeon
I can see they might use GP and pharmacies more in the SW, but the issue with the GP sites that the GP determine who gets invited, whereas if you are within the catchment of a mass hub you just get your record flagged and can use the booking system mentioned in this thread without your GP having opinion on your relative merit compared to others within their area (which is leading to patients not getting a vaccine in one area that they would in another).

I think the initial issue with inviting very old and frail people to mass hubs in group 1 was that they were allocated the hub and the appointment time so they could only accept or reject it.

Now with the booking system there is apparently a choice of venues (my DM had a choice of 2) so there is no need to exclude people based on their distance/time to reach a mass hub as there is now more choice.

Restricting people to 45 mins away is going to mean a lot of people in groups 5 and 6 wait a lot longer than necessary.

AgnesNaismith · 01/02/2021 18:37

Bump!