Surprised with the vaccine text! Any advice is much appreciated.

[2boysand1princess]

So I’m 40. Healthy BMI, mild asthma (more childhood asthma which only fares up with a bad cold/flu and easily fixed with inhalers)
I work in education, but not a classroom teacher or TA. I’m a consultant in a very large academy.
So, I got my text! Feel bad as mum and dad still not had their vaccines yet. Both under 70 and no health conditions.
In my area lots of teachers have been or are being vaccinated. My son’s school staff have all been done. They all got the Pfizer though. I’ve been invited to my GP surgery, so expect will be given the Oxford.
2 quick questions;
Do you think I’ve been offered it because I work in schools or because I’m registered as asthmatic and always offered the flu vaccine (never actually had the flu jab though)
And lastly, those of you who have had the Oxford vaccine, what were your side effects? Bit nervous as last time I had a vaccination was when I was a kid!
Thanks in advance

My DH is mid thirties and had his jab today - the GP said they're doing all the patients with asthma at the surgery. DH's is mild and well controlled.

Don't feel guilty. Go for it, the more people vaccinated the better it is for all of us

I get a flu jab every year on account of a heart condition that’s never even been explained to me. I can’t help but half hope I’ll get one soon...

But also I agree the more people vaccinated the better all around! Please don’t let any go to waste if you can help it.

Alot can depend on whether you are down on GP notes as a healthcare worker etc - they can only work on what they know. Different areas are on slightly differing categories - we are on cat 5 at the moement and I am expecting to be called next 2 weeks as cat 6but the groups are getting bigger and we will start overlapping with 2nd jabbers soon

Sorry if I caused confusion. I don't have asthma, I don't have any conditions and am group 9. Tbh I think a lot is to do with the local leadership. Mil and DGM only got theirs in last week and 78 and 103 yrs in a different area. It is better for them to start working their way down the list rather than waste vaccines or have empty centres. It's the 80/20 rule. The last 20% is much harder to get so move down the list to vaccinate as many as possible as quickly as possible to improve the benefits to all.

I think I heard on the news earlier that they are starting to offer over 65's next week and there was also something about asthma.

"I think I heard on the news earlier that they are starting to offer over 65's next week"

MIL is this category and has hers in the morning

They’re not vaccinating where she is @Chloemol and I was doubting that anyone but health and social care staff were getting it here based on their profession. I agree many should but hadn’t seen anywhere that they were.

There were people in our local area Facebook group talking about this today, seemed like lots of younger people had had their invites in the past couple of days. Even a 25 year old without any pre-existing health issues had her vaccine invite already but her elderly aunt or mum haven't been invited yet.

My over 65 friends have been done this week/are being done next week. I know a couple of people in the 60-65 age group who have been invited already. I'm not aware that they have underlying health conditions (that's not to say that they don't).

My DM is being done tomorrow, mid 60's but has asthma. DD is late 60s, same surgery but not called in yet. I assume DM is due to asthma. I thought they said in the news over 60s will be called from next week.

I also got the invitation today and was surprised and pleased. Am in my fifties and coeliac, but didn't know the coeliac was taken into account, but apparently it puts me in group 6 instead of 8. I was expecting to wait until the end of April, so it's great news.

Just have the jab. It's about protecting everyone - not just you.

Odd thing is my mum is on her 60s and has very mild asthma like me and also at the same gp surgery as me, but hasn’t been invited for the vaccine?

There's a whole other thread on asthma, the government haven't clarified what severity of asthma is eligible for the jab, so it seems to be decided by individual gp surgeries.

I'd absolutely take it if and when it's offered to me - I have moderate asthma and take steroid inhalers.

@notreallybotheredaboutausernam you can book a vaccine through the national booking system now (so at large vaccination centres instead of your work) if you're a frontline health or social care worker

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

So he could book through that. Supply into different site types (hospital hubs Vs large sites Vs pharmacies Vs GPs) is a bit variable depending on what's available and my understanding is that large centres might be easier to find a slot in currently.

Just get the jab.
You've been invited, so you are entitled.
The side effects you might get (most commonly sore arm) are not as bad as covid can be, and will not last as long as long covid. It's worth getting a sore arm to protect yourself and the rest of the herd.

Mom had the oxford one, she was fine on the day, slept all the following, headache, fatigue and off her food, fine by the next day.

i've had the pfizer... sore arm for a couple of days from about 6hrs after, feels a bit like someone punched me, bit sleepier the next day, otherwise fine!

It’s not national. In some areas there is additional capacity so GPs are inviting a wider group of people. Don’t feel bad. Take it up and feel glad you are much less likely to pass it on to someone more vulnerable.

dh has the oxford jab 2 weeks ago nothing zilch side effects
I had it last week - slightly sore arm for about 3 days where I was injected (dh was injected by nurse I was injected by dr - maybe she was more experienced ) - no temp or head ache or any other sign

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

@notreallybotheredaboutausernam

This is great, the more people vaccinated the better. However it does annoy me a bit (the organisation of it, not OP or anyone else receiving it), as my DP hasn't had it yet. He's a nurse in a hospital. And yes, he does work sometimes on covid wards. What are they playing at?

Presumably his hospital have started their vaccination programme? If so have his colleagues been vaccinated? Has he somehow been missed from being invited? If I were him I'd be contacting team which is organising the vaccination programme-my Trust have already offered the entire workforce the vaccine and I'm aware of others who also have so I'd worry he'd been missed.

Who cares why you have been offered it just accept it with open hands. Im sure your parents will be made up you've been given the opportunity. If you're parents are in the 65-70 category they may be able to book themselves in online without a GP letter. My DF is 67 managed to book an appointment online today.

I had the Oxford on Sunday. Woke up early hours of Monday with flu -like symptoms.

I experienced aches , chills and high temperature 38+

By 3pm Monday it was like it had never happened

Back to work Tuesday