Lots of young(ish) people having vaccines

[DK123]

I've noticed a lot of people in my age group (30s) posting pictures of their vaccination cards on SM.

I'm not sure why so many younger people have been vaccinated already, does anyone know why it might be? (I don't like to ask) It's impossible that they are all ECV, there are too many of them to all be and the criteria for getting the vaccine for that reason aren't that wide. I'm certain that none of the people I'm talking about have any sort of care or clinical jobs. I know people who work in hospitals etc who've had it but I'm not referring to them. I'm not sure if some people could have paid to get it - I don't know if that's even possible.

I just wondered if anyone else had noticed this and if anyone knows why?

Alongside this, there are some 'computer says no' situations which are a bit hard to take.

My friend has had blood tests, three ultrasounds and an MRI. She has a 15cm lump which she has been told they are 99% sure is 'non-benign' and worrying marks on the other ovary and liver.

She is now in the up to 6 week wait for an operation.

She has been told she must 'at all costs' avoid getting Covid before her op as this would stop them doing the op. She is also worried about getting Covid while in hospital which appears a real risk.

She asked if she was eligible for the vaccine. She is 59 and they started on the over 65s in our area this week.

No, she can't jump the queue, but would 'almost definitely' be eligible to do so a week after her op, once the histology is done and the cancer is confirmed.
Currently she does not definitively have cancer.

It feels quite Shroedinger's cat, and the race between vaccine and op is adding to the stress as you can imagine. Every day that passes is a day less of the required 21 days to build immunity.

We are all trying to keep calm and rational and absolutely understanding of the priority system, but it would seem rational to us to include someone in her situation when others such as some of the situations on this thread are having theirs now.

@DK123

I've noticed a lot of people in my age group (30s) posting pictures of their vaccination cards on SM.

I'm not sure why so many younger people have been vaccinated already, does anyone know why it might be? (I don't like to ask) It's impossible that they are all ECV, there are too many of them to all be and the criteria for getting the vaccine for that reason aren't that wide. I'm certain that none of the people I'm talking about have any sort of care or clinical jobs. I know people who work in hospitals etc who've had it but I'm not referring to them. I'm not sure if some people could have paid to get it - I don't know if that's even possible.

I just wondered if anyone else had noticed this and if anyone knows why?

Because it's at different stages throughout the UK and because some ethnics groups and older people are stupidly refusing.

The ones I know in my age bracket (mid to late 30s) are all down to work or health. I have mine today because I have a heart condition, DS, MIL & several DFs because they're in healthcare, my BFF as she's a solicitor working with vulnerable children, DH's BFF as he's CEV due to organ transplantation years ago, another DF as she has lupus & pulmonary fibrosis.

You wouldn't know this unless you were close enough to any of us to know that much about us.

This is going to be the new disabled loo/parking thing isn't it?

People have underlying health conditions. Some, are quite open about their illnesses, but most don't want people to know. If you don't know about their condition then it's none of your business.

@Haffiana

This is the latest covid curtain twitching, isn't it?

The OP specifically said that people were posting on social media.

Having said that it is somewhat irritating when you know for a fact that someone who is less at risk has jumped ahead whilst you are still waiting for a call and genuinely fearful for your life.

My husband is eligible in group 6 although he actually has 5 separate significant risk factors. A friend who has only one of those conditions, and of a lesser severity than my husband has been done and so has his younger wife who is not eligible other than as his ‘carer’. He categorically doesn’t need a carer. He’s perfectly physically fit and works full time. His mental illness has never put him in hospital or caused him to take time off work. It does feel very unfair.

@saffire

This is going to be the new disabled loo/parking thing isn't it?

People have underlying health conditions. Some, are quite open about their illnesses, but most don't want people to know. If you don't know about their condition then it's none of your business.

If you have an underlying health condition that you don't want people to know about would you really flaunt the fact you've had a vaccine over Facebook?

It reminds me of the attention seeking post of checking in to hospital with no explanation & not replying to anyone's posts/messages.

If Gp vaccinating depends on age profile of practice.
University practice for instance - not only lots not there but almost no elderly or particularly ill ( if you have really significant health problems you probably won’t be at uni )

@allsayingthesamething

This is why no one outside my family knows I've had the vaccine.

Because no one knows I have a medical condition.

I think these threads are most unhelpful.

But the thread is about young people happily posting that they've had the jab on social media, nothing to do with people who choose to keep it private

Why is it unhelpful?

It's been mentioned on the radio this morning, if there is some kind of abuse of the priority list going on it most certainly is helpful to the vunerable to bring it to light

In some cases people seem to have been offered the vaccine by mistake: www.scotsman.com/health/scottish-government-investigating-after-healthy-people-under-40-offered-covid-19-vaccine-3142765

I am 33 and had mine yesterday. I have a completely invisible condition that id say 90% of my friends have no idea I have.
I didn't even know it qualified me for a vaccine now until I received the call to go.

@BritWifeinUSA

You’d be surprised at the list of medical conditions that put people in group 6. Looking through the list, it just be half the country. I was most surprised to see that I would be in group 6 if I lived in the UK as a stroke survivor (25 years ago) and having epilepsy. What they both have to do with a respiratory virus I really don’t know. I don’t even bother with a flu shot.

The issue with covid is that it doesn't just affect the respiratory system. People have died from heart attack and stroke brought about due to covid complications. Like with some other viruses covid can attack different parts of the system.

The priority groups have been produced, and recently amended, in line with findings from those people who have caught covid and how it's affected them.

When I caught covid my blood pressure spiked massively and I was rushed to hospital with a very real risk of heart attack or stroke. I've never had issues with blood pressure before and it's checked every 3 months due to my arthritis medication. 4 months in and my blood pressure still isn't under control despite me now taking 2mdifferent daily medications.

However some people outside of groups 1-9 are being done now. I guess their area has a younger demographic and/or less vulnerable people. Dh's colleague and his wife both received their first vaccine yesterday - they are early 40s and with no underlying medical conditions. They were surprised to get it so soon but happy to do so.

I have friends in their 30s and 40s who have had it because of coeliac disease, diabetes and thyroid conditions.
All things it would be easy to not be aware of in acquaintances/Facebook friends.

My 18 year old had hers yesterday, because of a severe underlying heart condition that you wouldn't know about unless you knew.

There could be lots of reasons - work in health or social care jobs, people they're in group 6 (higher risk but not vulnerable) - this can cover quite a lot from diabetes to asthma to on high steroids. Also if they are carers for someone in the CEV group.

I got vaccinated because I have been volunteering at vaccine centres for a while and one evening they had some surplus Pfizer jabs that couldn't go back into the freezer.

*If you have an underlying health condition that you don't want people to know about would you really flaunt the fact you've had a vaccine over Facebook?

It reminds me of the attention seeking post of checking in to hospital with no explanation & not replying to anyone's posts/messages*.

Why not let people know you've had the vaccine? Surely if doubters see that so many of their friends and family are having it it may push them to go for it too.

They don't have to know why. Medical information is private - just because some people are nosy and want to know what's wrong with someone else doesn't mean people have to share why they were offered the vaccine.

One friend posted hers, she has a CEV child so is group 6. Others may be in healthcare including dentistry, optician etc. Others may have diabetes, severe asthma or other illnesses you're unaware of day to day but class them as CV.

I know 2 people early 40s who have had it (I know of others, but they are all either work in NHS/care homes or have conditions that I know of)

One works in an office, but her DS is autistic so I assume it might be that. The other is a hairdresser and I have no idea why she has been given it, then again it really is none of my business.

To me its just another 2 people off the list for their first vaccination so its good for me.

Underlying health conditions

Postcode lottery.

You’d be surprised at the list of medical conditions that put people in group 6. Looking through the list, it just be half the country. I was most surprised to see that I would be in group 6 if I lived in the UK as a stroke survivor (25 years ago) and having epilepsy. What they both have to do with a respiratory virus I really don’t know. I don’t even bother with a flu shot

Viruses increase your risk of having a stroke or heart attack by a large amount, even flu! Definitely Covid-19 which is associated with clots and heart damage. Epilepsy (depending on what type and how well controlled) raises your risk of death overall and a high temp/illness can trigger seizures in the susceptible.

I'm surprised you are surprised!

I know a few people in their 30s/40s who have had the first jab - three have diabetes and another has arthritis.

@saffire

*If you have an underlying health condition that you don't want people to know about would you really flaunt the fact you've had a vaccine over Facebook?

It reminds me of the attention seeking post of checking in to hospital with no explanation & not replying to anyone's posts/messages*.

Why not let people know you've had the vaccine? Surely if doubters see that so many of their friends and family are having it it may push them to go for it too.

They don't have to know why. Medical information is private - just because some people are nosy and want to know what's wrong with someone else doesn't mean people have to share why they were offered the vaccine.

If you are that private you don't want people to know you have a medical condition then why advertise the fact on Facebook by stating you've had the vaccine?

Yes you're not telling people what your exact condition is. But your saying you've got one.

Why do you want to spend your time wondering why certain people have been vaccinated?! Quite frankly it’s none of your business and all I’ll say is happy days that anyone and everyone are getting the jab!!!

I'm 40 and had my first dose yesterday. You'd think I was fit and healthy but I actually have severe asthma and am on numerous medications to be able to live a normal life.