Vaccine offered to all 16-65 year olds at my GP

[Surprisevaccine]

That's what's happened at my GP and I had mine today, 27 no underlying health conditions. Has it happened at anyone elses?

Wasn't expecting to receive it until the Autumn!

"So you'd rather people didn't get the vaccine, just so other people in other areas got theirs?
That's stupid thinking.
Quite apart from the logistics of sorting that out."

Well, that is the national strategy, and the point of having a priority order.

Priority groups first, not area by area.

Of course no vaccine should go to waste.

I also agree areas with higher elderly populations should get more vaccine and if needs be, more resource to vaccinate.
Having spent my career (29 years) working in, or alongside the NHS, I think there are such things as postcode lotteries. It’s not NHS bashing; it just happens. CCGs, LHBs, wherever you are; there’s not necessarily parity in care or access to medicines or treatment. Differences in commissioning, differences in local pathways, differences in medicines management and differences in opinions of medical staff, will all potentially influence care in any given area. Naive to think otherwise.

That's stupid thinking. Quite apart from the logistics of sorting that out

Thanks, always good to call someone stupid, it increases your credibility no end.

The NHS has incredibly sophisticated systems and access to data at a granular level, that’s how it’s supposed to be sending the letters/texts to the right people at the right time. It’s not rocket science to allocate the vaccine accordingly.

If this is really happening the fairness of the system has gone and that’s a real shame because that was one of its strengths.

@LEELULUMPKIN

It does all seem very strange. DH got his appointment today for next week. He is 48 no underlying health conditions whilst I am 51 and a carer for DS15 so should be in group 6 and not a peep.

We are in Cheshire East.

This makes me wonder if an algorithm was used

Are we still on men as being higher risk?

I am wondering if BME and postcode have been a factor for me.

My hubby is a diabetic, has had a heart attack and has a stent. Is also being investigated for COPD - and yet I can't get him a vaccine. I am pleased for others but I think the system is really broken if there can be places where Group 6 people can't get vaccines but healthy adults can be jabbed in their local areas.

The current figures are barely half of the groups 1 to 9, the longer it takes the longer many key workers will have to wait for their priority. Jabs in arms sound good but it does have consequences. Unless there is a low intake I cannot understand the amount of spare vaccine when it’s been reported here that this week and last week is down to supply.

I went for mine yesterday I am in group 6 but the staff said they'd had loads of young people there this week and thought there had been an issue with the booking system.

As one of those with asthma bumped down the vaccine list because I don’t use a steroid inhaler this really doesn’t seem fair. As far as I’m aware, I’ve not had Covid yet and if I catch it during the upcoming allergy season then I know I’m in for a rough ride 😒....even worse, my 65 year old step-mother hasn’t even had hers yet - she has a history of long winded chest infections etc.

I wish they’d do second doses for the most vulnerable before healthy young people.

I’ve been invited next week, 42. I do have a health condition (blood clotting disorder) but didn’t consider myself in an at risk category as slim and healthy otherwise and it’s controlled with meds. Partner same age with serious asthma but another surgery same city, heard nothing. Go figure.

@SneezyGonzalez

As one of those with asthma bumped down the vaccine list because I don’t use a steroid inhaler this really doesn’t seem fair. As far as I’m aware, I’ve not had Covid yet and if I catch it during the upcoming allergy season then I know I’m in for a rough ride 😒....even worse, my 65 year old step-mother hasn’t even had hers yet - she has a history of long winded chest infections etc.

I can just imagine 🙈. Ironically last spring was ds's best spring for a while because he barely left his bedroom because of the lockdown.

It's a shame it seems like a postcode lottery. I'm an SEN teacher. My county doesn't deem me as at risk as an unpaid carer, who have been bumped up the list rightly. But some councils have decided SEN and EYFS staff should get it.

Why is that up to individual councils? It needs to be a national thing, either vaccinate SEN staff or don't. Don't make it a case of someone living two miles east of me gets it but I don't, even though we work in similar roles.

@LunaHeather No idea. I did ask the receptionist when I queried it today but she had no explanation either.

We are white British so if it has been done by algorithm the only thing it could have been is sex/postcode.

They are going to ring me back tomorrow and see if they can offer me a slot at the same time

@SneezyGonzalez

As one of those with asthma bumped down the vaccine list because I don’t use a steroid inhaler this really doesn’t seem fair. As far as I’m aware, I’ve not had Covid yet and if I catch it during the upcoming allergy season then I know I’m in for a rough ride 😒....even worse, my 65 year old step-mother hasn’t even had hers yet - she has a history of long winded chest infections etc.

Your stepmother can book using the national booking line now if that helps. It’s now open to over 65s

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

MissEliza mine was way worse last year, I think because my neighbour more or less filled entire her garden with flowers 🤧 🤧 🤧

Scroll down to pages 10 & 11 & you will see Table 3 that shows Clinical risk groups 16 years of age and over who should be receiving COVID-19 immunisation.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961287/Greenbook_chapter_14a_v7_12Feb2021.pdf

So if you have a condition that is on that list & you haven't received your vaccine invite & know for definite that healthy & younger people have received the vaccine locally, then I would check with your Doctors surgery that you haven't been forgotten about.

Friend of mine just put on FB that her h age 45, no conditions, and dd age 17, mild asthma, have been done. Why???

There has to have been a cock up. Someone coding has cut n pasted the wrong section of codes into the wrong box. Even if you lived in the most deprived area it would only count as one factor. If you are young fit heathy and white it’s not enough make you vulnerable.

Still doing the over 70s where I am. Hey ho.

Based on my experience though it looks like there are two booking systems and as people fall into multiple categories it’s which ever comes sooner.
I booked my own based on my job in a school. W Sussex agreed this with the Heads. I think areas in W Sussex have had high rates; seaside towns, large food/farm production areas and there is a high number of elderly and vulnerable - not to mention an international airport.
But obviously surgeries are booking people in too in order.
So it looks like people are jumping ahead but it’s just down to capacity in one booking system or another.

@Affectation

I have a suspicion that they'll vaccinate the 18-30 age group before they do the 30-50s.

@Affectation why do you think this ?

Just caught a few minutes of tomorrow's papers review on BBC and one of the papers (the Telegraph I think) headline says all over 40s now due to get offered their jabs by the end of March so that does sound incredibly quick.

I'm seeing lots of people in the local Facebook group here in SE London reporting having theirs this week - obviously some will have underlying conditions but others are saying they are under 50 and don't know why they've been invited.

Wow. It does seem so unfair. I'm just going to keep taking my Vitamin D 100mg daily doses (which another thread said is as good as the vaccine itself) and sit it out! I'm early 50s in South East.

For those shouting about the North-South divide (and I am from the North) the screenshot is from the BBC website showing the number of over-70s vaccinated by 14th February. All English regions are roughly similar (95-98%) other than London which is trailing by about 10%.

And anyway, every vaccine lowers the risk for everyone.

But it doesn't.

I read that the vaccine doesn't stop you getting Covid, it just stops you getting symptoms. So anyone not yet vaccinated is still no less at risk from catching it just because millions have now been vaccinated.