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?

I just hope this doesn't cause problems getting vaccines into the arms of people in the priority groups in 12 weeks time.

A 30 something friend had hers today as she knows the receptionist and there was spare. She's a key worker so it all makes sense and better than it being wasted. I just really hope supply is sufficient in the coming months to give second vaccines to these people and whomever is the priority at that point.

I guess that's been considered though by those who know what the supply is likely to be over the next few months.

@SleepingStandingUp

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?

When a first dose is given it is recorded on the NHS system and a second date will then be automatically generated

@AtLastEarwax I'd say go for it, I'd rather someone used it than it went in the bin.

Our local GP surgery are ringing carers, key workers, etc to try to use any left over doses but one of the staff was telling me they have been upset by the local CCG insisting that doses must not be used to give NHS staff their second dose in the event of not finding someone, even if they were in the early groups who were expecting it at 3 weeks and even if it will then go to waste.

Definitely take it , my dh and I ( group 7 and 6 ) had ours a couple of weeks ago via our GP hub standby list and I don’t feel remotely guilty. We got a call at 5 pm and could be at the hub in 20 minutes .

Absolutely no vaccine should ever be wasted. Every centre should have a reserve list who can drop everything and get there within 30 mins. Anything else is poor organisation.

We got given our appt cards for the second dose at the first dose .

I would go for it and I don't begrudge anyone doing the same - but I do think it makes more sense for vaccine centres to have waitlists rather than the call your friends scenario. My husband and I are both in the moderately vunerable list and it will be like playing russian roulette with our lives once our teens go back to high school. But our area has only just sent letters to the 65-69s this weekend - we are weeks if not months away from being vaccinated despite being in one of the areas first hit by the new kent variant. Its very hard to read stories of people in the much lower groups being offered vaccines from friends who work in vaccine hubs. We are a 1min drive from our doctors, 1 min drive from a vaccine hub and a 10min drive from another hub. But we don't have friends in any of these places offering to vacinate us. And I have asked about waitlists - they won't do them.

Sensible to call Group 6 up for spare but I find it a shame they have no more over 50’s that can have the other spare. Would really hope all over 50’s get spares or in frontline jobs

Agree official waitlists sound ideal - so clinics can vaccinate the top 9 groups first. As if spares go to friends etc who are not group 1-9, it slows it down for those higher up the list as the 2nd vaccine has to go to the healthy not group 1-9’s first.

I definitely agree to get it in people but it does seem who you know here too - but then it takes time to sift through and make a priority list and this is a phenomenally fast moving programme so I think it's sometimes a matter of just grabbing who you can at the end of a day.

Yes

Well hubby and I both had it :) hubby is happy he jumped the queue by at least 18.5 million. It's made him feel special I think. Hopefully it lasts a while 😂😂😂