Spare vaccine

[AtLastEarwax]

Basically a relative works in a vaccine centre (arena as it's called here) and said any spare I and OH can have if there is more than one. Instead of being 'disposed' of - as they call it. I fall in group 6, OH Group 10. I feel bad as there are more vulnerable people but is this an opportunity too good to miss and saves a vaccine from the bin?

Yes/no?

100% yes. It mustn’t go in the bin.

Yes. If you can get there at very short notice.

Thankyou, I can I'm 15 mins away and there is onsite free parking so I can just run in

I understand that the big hubs are struggling to fill the appointment slots now. I think they should bash on and work through the next priority groups while the gp/ pharmacy service continue to mop up the housebound, fearful, dithery and those who cannot or don't wish to travel. Half empty hubs and wasted vaccines completely unacceptable IMO.

I agree @chestnutSquash. While they should ideally go to the higher priority groups first I don't really care who gets the spares, the only thing I care about is that they don't go in the bin.

I understand that vaccines shouldn't be wasted but this feels very much like a 'who you know' situation which feels unfair. There will be people closer in the queue who would happily come at the last minute and they are the ones that should be called imo.
However if I did know someone then yes, I would want that call!

Like a shot OP. Waste is unacceptable.

Definitely do it. Had a call like that recently, but I couldn’t get there. Am putting my friend forward if it happens again.

I understand the who you know situation and hate it although for once in my life this might be a benefit to me

Unlike the job I was 4 times over qualified for and the candidate I was against had no qualifications but her mother in law was senior position so she got the permanent band 3 position

If it's going in your arm or the bin...get it in your arm

@chestnutSquash

I understand that the big hubs are struggling to fill the appointment slots now. I think they should bash on and work through the next priority groups while the gp/ pharmacy service continue to mop up the housebound, fearful, dithery and those who cannot or don't wish to travel. Half empty hubs and wasted vaccines completely unacceptable IMO.

Agree that they should just crack on:should be no empty slots

I know a lot of people who have had the vaccine more by luck than anything. Every dose speeds out the roll out so I'm all for it. I'd rather the system be imperfect but fast.

Some of the big hubs have set up arrangements with police/ schools/ fire stations so that at the end of the day one call to a designated person can mean that a group of people can get the left over vaccines. I think that is a very good system.
The big hubs are dealing with a different demographic than the smaller gp/ pharmacy centres. They should be working in parallel and playing to their strengths. The goal is to get as many people vaccinated as possible with as little waste as possible.

Have it. Some areas are starting on group six now anyway so you won’t be that far ahead anyway.

I'm in the same position as you and waiting for a call when they have 'leftovers'. I did in fact get the call last week from my friend at the vaccine centre but had had a couple of glasses of wine so she advised against , so be warned you may have to go 'dry' while you are waiting for the call !

@johnstownflood

I'm in the same position as you and waiting for a call when they have 'leftovers'. I did in fact get the call last week from my friend at the vaccine centre but had had a couple of glasses of wine so she advised against , so be warned you may have to go 'dry' while you are waiting for the call !

This is nonsense. Of course, you couldn’t go if you had to drive there, or if you were drunk and incapable, but having had a glass of wine isn’t a contraindication to having the vaccine.

You should take it without guilt as then it bumps everyone else’s place up in the queue, not to mention it preventing wastage.

Use it. The more people have it as fast as possible, the better off we all are.

use it, better than it going to waste

They're Def doing G6 in the smaller GP facilities. Better in you than on the bin and it means 1 person not in the queue further down

I would hope that they also have a back up list of local frontline key workers such as police, firefighters and teachers before they call on friends and family.

I've just driven past our big local hub and there are parking attendants outside but no cars going in and looked pretty empty. Tempted to go back and see if they have any spares, I'm group 6 and work in a school.

The only thing I'd check with group 10 is if it means he'll be called up for his 2nd at the same time as you or with his group if it's via GP and so of it'll be out of time?

Lots of people are not keen on going to the big hub locally as there were reports of queues in the first few days. This has since been resolved but it has put people off. Older people are waiting for local GP appointments rather than risk queuing up in the cold.

It does seem really unfair that it’s ‘who you know’. I’ve been told the hub isn’t holding a ‘leftovers list’ so having a friend working there seems to be the only way to get the leftover doses.

If I were you, I’d definitely go though. It would be far worse for the doses to be wasted, so I’d just think yourself very lucky and take your friend up on her very kind offer. Every person vaccinated means the rest of us are at less risk (be it from catching the virus or that the hospitals will be under less pressure because less people are in them) so I’d say it’s better for society for you to have them too.