Eligible to book on NHS vaccine website - vaccinators say queue jumper

[Summerflowers209]

My dad is 63 and had his vaccine today by booking the appointment via the NHS booking link. As of yesterday over 60s became eligible. However, the vaccinators at his appointment were not impressed and said he should not have booked as he is not over 65 and he should have waited for a letter. They said he has queue jumped. Is this right? That if it allows you to book, you shouldn't unless you receive a letter?

My friend who's 63 went yesterday to a local centre to have hers. It was deserted and the vaccinators there said not enough people are aware they can go and that my friend should spread the word.

No wonder the daily vax numbers are low at the moment.

I think the media need to stop showing old footage of the elderly getting vaccinated as it is misrepresenting the current reality.

The elderly are mostly all vaccinated now.

The age groups getting vaccinated now are 16-64 and the footage needs to reflect this so that people stop being surprised/outraged/disapproving about who is now eligible for vaccination.

I felt a fraud turning up as a 45 yo for my vaccination, but everyone was my age or younger - of course! But I had expected to be the youngest based on what I had seen on TV etc. I was happy that the elderly had already been vaccinated and could now see younger people were eligible.

@CallmeAngelina

My friend who's 63 went yesterday to a local centre to have hers. It was deserted and the vaccinators there said not enough people are aware they can go and that my friend should spread the word.

No wonder the daily vax numbers are low at the moment.

True - when I made my appointment, there were free appointments the whole day available for booking for the following day... Such a waste of capacity

god what a shambles, and we were doing so well!

I am telling everyone I know who is 59+ or thinks they might be in group 6 or group 7 to check the NHS booking site daily and input their NHS number to see if they can book - as far as I am concerned that is the central source of truth any anyone eligible will pop up via their NHS number.

That leave the GP led hubs to sort out the grey area cases for carers, registered, not registered etc. They were only there originally to manage the most vulnerable, elderly, housebound and care home people who couldn't necessarily be expected to use online booking, make their own appointments or travel out of their area to a national hub. That's the people that needed to wait for GP letters or texts. They've been done now and virtually everyone else should be absolutely fine to book their own appointments and travel for appointments.

I feel like this too. I would have just liked them to give advice to the volunteers rather than anyone getting into trouble.

Hmm, maybe they were right? The link states not to book in his situation🤷🏼‍♀️

You can only use this service if any of the following apply:

you are aged 64 or over

Then later states:

If you are not eligible yet
Wait to be contacted. The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have the vaccine. It's important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then.

So just because he could book it, doesn’t mean he should have

@Jackie2022

Hmm, maybe they were right? The link states not to book in his situation🤷🏼‍♀️

You can only use this service if any of the following apply:

you are aged 64 or over

Then later states:

If you are not eligible yet
Wait to be contacted. The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have the vaccine. It's important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then.

So just because he could book it, doesn’t mean he should have

But last week entering a 60 dob came up with not eligible, since this week its allowed bookings. I don't want the vaccine wasted but I'd rather it went to those at risk than those who knew the volunteers.

Hmm, maybe they were right? The link states not to book in his situation🤷🏼‍♀️

You can only use this service if any of the following apply:

you are aged 64 or over

Then later states:

If you are not eligible yet
Wait to be contacted. The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have the vaccine. It's important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then.

So just because he could book it, doesn’t mean he should have

Yes, but I am 64 and still got a proper inquisition as to why I was there!
There is definitely a disparity between what some of the staff and volunteers at these centres have been told vs the website as far as I can see. There was lots of slack in the system when I was there- I was seen 30 minutes before my allotted time as it was so quiet!

Some of the problem may be caused by unofficial gate keepers who have just turned up to do volunteering shifts for marshalling people - and are offering opinions rather than facts. The vaccination programme is outstanding, but it will be sometimes difficult to keep all involved totally in the loop - and I imagine some people have been taken in by news reports of queue jumpers etc. Not unlike all the self appointed community curtain twitcher caretakers of lockdown

My friend who is running a vaccine centre where I live says they’ve now opened up booking to 60+.. they are being encouraged to book online and those who are vulnerable must go via their GP. GPs should now be prioritising the vulnerable & leaving most over 60’s to book online.

Our NHS foundation put out a message on Facebook inviting the over 60’s forwards this morning 🤷🏼‍♀️ My MIL hastily booked for the weekend, a relief!

I’m 60. Booked online yesterday and got the jab today. I was listening as people queueing near me gave their details. Most had a dob 1960 the same as me. All the staff were friendly and efficient and no-one was questioned or made to feel awkward. If the system allows you to book, do it! It doesn’t help the drive to normality if people hold back to be polite.

Yes the vaccine implementation seems quite fragmented. They should ensure they update the booking website page frequently, it’s silly that it has outdated information on. The back end has been updated but not the page itself, you have to cringe!

Also silly that not all staff involved with the vaccine are knowledgeable on eligibility changes. Surely there would be staff briefings as the situation develops.

I was asked for ID, but I just showed my driving licence. I am carer in receipt of CA and booked on NHS website but also chronic asthmatic who has been hospitalised several times and obese so qualified 3 times over in group 6. GP surgery still not sent me booking text dispute confirming I'm in group 6. I just by past GP and booked directly with NHS and had it today. I got a choice of 11 centres. First one I looked at I could not book until 11th March, next one the very next day. Look at different centres, the out of the way ones have more and sooner vacancies.

So just because he could book it, doesn’t mean he should have

Yes, it really does mean that!

A few points from where i was working today
We do ask on what criteria you have booked in as we have different consent forms for different categories and have to report number vaccinated each day based on different vaccination criteria
Many sites had not been told of change from eligibility changing from 65+ to 60+, so that caused some issues / questioning of people at the start of the day today before we caught up with the updated criteria
As someone has already mentioned people ARE booking when not eligible - saying they are Health or Social Care worker when they are not and hence when we ask for their ID badge they don't have one and are turned away - happens a few times each day where i am

If you are attending a mass vaccination site and are eligible as a carer or CEV (shielding) i would say take evidence of the way you quality (copy of shieling letter, DLA letter of the person that you care for or Carers Allowance award letter for example), that way if you are asked you will have the details with you and not delay you on the day
Group 6 CV patients is a more difficult criteria to check (not age based, no national letter, no ID badge), hence why that category is being handled by GPs as they hold the details to assign patients to that category .

@Andorra155

My mum is 63 and has just booked hers via the link for Friday. If the system let's them book then they are legible, don't need to have received letter. It speeds the whole process up if people can keep a check on the online link and book as soon as they can. I am so relieved as my mum works in a school, she's been in the classroom throughout with keyworkers children but was worried about the mass return on the 8th, so this is welcome news she can have her vaccine before then.

Does she realise she won't have immunity until 22days after (AZ) jab? She needs to be very careful between her jab & her immunity 22 days later as her body is already working hard building up immunity - it doesn't need to get Covid on top of that.

@Andorra155

My mum is 63 and has just booked hers via the link for Friday. If the system let's them book then they are legible, don't need to have received letter. It speeds the whole process up if people can keep a check on the online link and book as soon as they can. I am so relieved as my mum works in a school, she's been in the classroom throughout with keyworkers children but was worried about the mass return on the 8th, so this is welcome news she can have her vaccine before then.

Book

It won't allow you to book if you're not entitled to.

@Andorra155 sorry. No idea why it's attached your quote again, that was for someone else!

@nomorespaghetti

I’m sorry your dad had that horrible experience OP.

I’m a carer and I got my jab today start booking on the mass vaccination centre link. There was a steady trickle of people, but not loads, and one of the volunteers mentioned that they needed more people to book, so “tell your friends!”

I’m just wondering if anyone will know the answer to this - my GP practice have me down as a carer, and told me they’d contact me when it was my turn. Today they texted out an update on how they’re getting on with the jabs. Basically said that group 6, which includes carers, is huge, and to wait to be contacted by them as they’re doing the oldest first. I’m just wondering why they didn’t point people in the direction of the mass vaccination centre booking link, particularly since carers can book on there? Is it because they get paid per jab or something like that? There’s a hell of a lot of people to get through in group 6, so letting people know about the link would get people jabbed a lot quicker.

I think just because you've been out into G6 and I think because if underlying health issues they're doing G6 at medical centres rather than random testing centres without medical facilities.

Our GP sent out a strongly worded email asking carers NOT to contact them & they'd be in touch. So you're not alone!

Hope you head soon 💐

@nomorespaghetti. Sorry I missed that you'd had yours (need to go to sleep!). Most group 6 can't book on there, maybe they've coded it differently for carers?

I booked mine at 9.30 last night after reading this thread, then at 10.30pm got a text from my GP surgery asking to contact them to arrange an appointment for my vaccination! Spooky!!!
I’m 61 BTW.

Thank you, yes she knows she won't have max protection from day 1 but a relief to know there is some on the way. She is careful but there isn't much more she can do in a primary school, she's had approx 20 children most days since Jan.

@zen1

I am a carer in my 40s and I booked yesterday. I did not know my NHS number but the site let me book anyway. The site also has no proof I’m a carer.

I had my vaccine today and had to provide proof that I was in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.

Did they ask for proof you were a carer or specifically in receipt of CA? You don't have to be in receipt of CA to be eligible for the vaccination, they were wrong if so

@minchinfin

god what a shambles, and we were doing so well!

I am telling everyone I know who is 59+ or thinks they might be in group 6 or group 7 to check the NHS booking site daily and input their NHS number to see if they can book - as far as I am concerned that is the central source of truth any anyone eligible will pop up via their NHS number.

That leave the GP led hubs to sort out the grey area cases for carers, registered, not registered etc. They were only there originally to manage the most vulnerable, elderly, housebound and care home people who couldn't necessarily be expected to use online booking, make their own appointments or travel out of their area to a national hub. That's the people that needed to wait for GP letters or texts. They've been done now and virtually everyone else should be absolutely fine to book their own appointments and travel for appointments.

I know two people who did that, and turned up at the vaccine hub (Black Country Museum) yesterday with their appointment confirmation, and were turned away.