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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:
IrmaFayLear · 03/02/2021 18:47

I booked via the website for a vaccination centre an hour’s drive away; the next day the GP’s surgery called! (Ecv)

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:53

@PusheenLove - yes, clinically extremely vulnerable are definitely now eligible. See this press release which talks about cohorts 1-4 - CEV are cohort 4.

And this from the BBC which also says CEV are now being vaccinated.

Wigeon · 03/02/2021 18:55

@IrmaFayLear

I booked via the website for a vaccination centre an hour’s drive away; the next day the GP’s surgery called! (Ecv)
@IrmaFayLear - there’s an option, on the booking website you used previously, to cancel your Vaccination Centre appointment if you ring your GP back and get an appointment more locally.
PusheenLove · 03/02/2021 19:13

[quote Wigeon]@PusheenLove - yes, clinically extremely vulnerable are definitely now eligible. See this press release which talks about cohorts 1-4 - CEV are cohort 4.

And this from the BBC which also says CEV are now being vaccinated.[/quote]
Thank you Smile I'm booked in for Sunday!

MrsFezziwig · 03/02/2021 21:57

And all for... nothing?! I don't know if the "looking behind the scenes" message was an insinuation I was a troll? Ridiculous.

I asked them to re-instate them but they have just ignored me.

Reasonable that they should investigate it due to all the nonsense spouted on these boards by posters who never think that lack of knowledge is a reason not to post (and bearing in mind that these same posters will have likely reported the thread), but when they found out it was correct they should certainly have reinstated it and ideally made it a sticky! Hopefully everyone has found the later thread.

You certainly alerted me OP and gisbons - I’m Group 5 so come next week I’ll be employing Glastonbury-like tactics (but with the knowledge I’ll definitely be getting a ticket)! Grin

Fifthtimelucky · 03/02/2021 22:29

@notevenat20

OP and PP's, have you thought how lives you may have saved by promoting and talking about this link on here to many who hadn't heard of it?!

Yes! The thought makes me immensely happy.

That can't be right, surely?

I can't believe that more people in total are being vaccinated as a result of using this link - it's just that some people are being vaccinated earlier than they would have been otherwise.

Doesn't it logically follow that other people who are eligible, but who are waiting to be contacted as the website suggests they should, are being vaccinated later than they would be otherwise?

That's why my husband (70) won't use the link - and it seems from reading this thread that there are others who feel the same way.

daisypond · 03/02/2021 22:34

@Fifthtimelucky

Yes, more people are being vaccinated because of the link. Lots of centres have spare capacity. They want people to come and use the vaccines they have available. You can still only get a vaccine if you are in the right priority group.

PatriciaHolm · 03/02/2021 22:38

*I can't believe that more people in total are being vaccinated as a result of using this link - it's just that some people are being vaccinated earlier than they would have been otherwise.

Doesn't it logically follow that other people who are eligible, but who are waiting to be contacted as the website suggests they should, are being vaccinated later than they would be otherwise*

Not necessarily, given the nature of the vaccine and the need to use it up once open. It's entirely possible that there is underdemand from those eligible, as many letters are taking days to arrive, and the spare vaccine is either going to waste or going to those in much lower priority groups just to use it. Much better for those doses to go to those in higher groups as soon as possible.

No-one is getting vaccinated using that link if they aren't eligible.

QueenPawPaws · 03/02/2021 22:40

From what I can tell there is two ways
Wait for GP contact which will likely offer GP surgery or locally
Book via the link for a hub or pharmacy led

I didn't want to wait for GP contact as they originally missed me off the shielding list, and they're only up to group 1. The hub is a mile from my house. So I could sit and wait for weeks/months for my GP to vaccinate, or book online for the hub. No brainer really

Groups 1-4 are meant to be done by when, mid feb? I haven't even had a letter yet. And post might still be affected, plus letters get lost. I'm eligible and not stopping anyone having a vaccine earlier, I just chose to book it

Fifthtimelucky · 03/02/2021 22:43

But we keep being told that the limiting factor in number of vaccines being administered is the number that are available - not eg staffing availability.

It just seems odd that the NHS website still has a very clear instruction that you should use it only you have received a letter. Surely if they wanted all eligible people to use the link, they would say so?

Comefromaway · 03/02/2021 22:45

Thank you so Much for this thread.

Fil was so worried. He was in hospital last summer and was terrified of catching Covid in their. He’s not CEV but could likely have a flare up and end up back in hospital. Mil was called by the GP a week ago as she’s a bit older than him and has heart problems and diabetes. He’s her sole career as she has dementia. We are bubbled but he’s scared to see us as I’m working. But they happen to live 5 minutes away from a vaccination hub and we booked him in as an over 70 for the end of the week.

It will be such a relief to him.

QueenPawPaws · 03/02/2021 22:47

@Fifthtimelucky I think it's just a mess to be honest. It says you can be done locally if you can't attend a hub. I guess if they posted "ok all over 75s can now book online" the website would crash with relatives etc and patients trying to book in? And then the lower groups being confused when it says not eligible and thinking that means they won't get the vaccine at all

Fifthtimelucky · 03/02/2021 23:14

I don't like to think of it as a mess, given that overall the vaccination numbers are so good, but I do wish this was clearer.

I just worry that there are delays in some people being invited in - that could explain why some people are receiving their letters so long after they are dated. Letters are being generated but not sent out because all the available spaces have already been taken.

I'm probably just overthinking things. Everyone in groups 1-4 should be offered a jab in the next couple of weeks so it's not too much longer to wait. My husband is only 70 and not cev so I suppose he was always likely to be toward the end of this phase.

BessMarvin · 03/02/2021 23:18

It could just be the delays with royal mail and people are just booking appointments about the time they should be if the post was arriving on time.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 03/02/2021 23:23

I posted the link on a local site (similar to facebook) and was accused of encouraging people to queue jump.

I was very clear in my post that if you aren't eligible it won't let you book.

I think some people are just looking for something to fight about to be honest.

I was trying to help people and I got attacked. I won't bother in future.

QueenPawPaws · 03/02/2021 23:30

@Fifthtimelucky I get what you mean
When I logged on to book, it had literally any day or time available, didn't seem busy at all
That seems a shame if there is room/vaccines and people aren't booking. Not sure what the answer is though! It definitely needs to be clearer

Fifthtimelucky · 03/02/2021 23:42

@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

I'm absolutely not suggesting that the people using the link are not eligible.

What I am suggesting is that it is possible that some eligible people using the link are queue jumping over other eligible people who are not using the link. Obviously not every eligible person can be vaccinated the first day they become eligible.

It was the idea that this thread is saving lives that I was querying. Some lives may be being saved if people are being vaccinated earlier than they would have been otherwise, but that might be at the expense of other lives - those who are being vaccinated later.

But all group 4s should be offered a vaccine soon, which is great, and in most cases a week or two will not make any difference.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 03/02/2021 23:47

*@Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

I'm absolutely not suggesting that the people using the link are not eligible.*

I wasn't talking about you or anyone on this site. It was a whole other site I posted it on.

Obviously some people disagree with it being used. That's fine.

Boulshired · 03/02/2021 23:48

There was a point that at the same time as letter being sent the hubs were opening. It would make sense that the true effectiveness of the hubs was unpredictable so letter lagged behind exactly what the hubs could do. The hubs have obviously been more successful than imagined.

ExpulsoCorona · 03/02/2021 23:57

I think a few people are overthinking this. We currently have a good amount of capacity for vaccinations. There is a dual system for booking, you get it either through your GP or the NHS site.

It really doesn't matter which method you go for, they both get entered in the same database. When the government announced that group 4 could book, then literally anyone eligible is welcome to use the website.

I am a GP. If a lot of my patients use the NHS website, it just means that we get through the current group quicker and down to the next group. Next weekend the government will probably announce that group 5 can book and the NHS website will allow this. Our practice has already moved on to group 5 but there are some areas where this hasn't happened yet. In those areas booking via the NHS website helps balance things out.

You are not stealing an appointment from anyone, once your group is eligible it is eligible and the sooner the group gets done the sooner we can move down to the next group. All that matters is getting jabs into arms. We know that Royal Mail has been struggling. We also know that the NHS is super busy so generating letters, putting them in envelopes and posting them takes time. There is no point wasting time here, we need to just get on and vaccinate.

Fifthtimelucky · 04/02/2021 00:02

@ExpulsoCorona thanks. That's really useful.

As a doctor, do you know why the NHS website isn't amended to make clear that anyone in the eligible groups can book without waiting for a letter ?

ExpulsoCorona · 04/02/2021 00:07

@Fifthtimelucky I don't know why they haven't amended it but do know that communication hasn't exactly been a strength through this pandemic...

Luckily vaccine procurement has been a strength and because the vaccinations have been run by the NHS (rather than the government's mates) things have been moving on more efficiently than expected.

MrsFezziwig · 04/02/2021 03:21

What I am suggesting is that it is possible that some eligible people using the link are queue jumping over other eligible people who are not using the link. Obviously not every eligible person can be vaccinated the first day they become eligible.

There isn’t a queue to jump - there is a batch of people who become eligible at the same time. Thanks Expulso for clarifying the details.

daisypond · 04/02/2021 06:35

Letters are being generated but not sent out because all the available spaces have already been taken.

No, that’s not right. There are lots of available spaces. They want you to book via the website and travel to a centre if you are eligible. You are not able to queue jump. You’re not taking a space away from anyone else.

Original poster
notevenat20 · 04/02/2021 06:36

I think some people are just looking for something to fight about to be honest. I was trying to help people and I got attacked. I won't bother in future.

Yes to the first point but no to the second. For every angry person attacking there will be 5 immensely grateful people whose life you might have saved.

OP posts:
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