So much for ‘protect the NHS’

[littlelionboss]

This is a ranty post & I apologise.

I’m really starting to get pissed off with the vaccine situation.

My area are now onto vaccinating the over 40’s!!!

I’ve got family & friends that have been called for theirs... fit, healthy, no underlying health conditions.

I’m early 30’s two health conditions and I’m in group 6 for the vaccine.

I can’t book online and when I’ve spoken to my GP (today) they’ve just said I will have to wait for them to contact me.

My sister in law has been given hers on the basis that she’s a carer.
She “cares” for her husband who has a bad back.
A back so bad that over the summer he’s completely transformed his back garden, alone!

It just really doesn’t seem fair at all.

I have a small child and I’m a single parent, surely I should be vaccinated as a carer?!

I know we are all entitled to the vaccine, but hasn’t the point all along beeb to protect the NHS?!

How are we protecting them by jumping ahead to the fit and healthy and leaving the vulnerable ones behind?!

I hear your frustrations OP, but this is going at speed and really well. The coding on IT systems not up to the nuances of prioritisation for a pandemic, but you will be done soon. It is very likely (but not certain) that the vaccines will stop transmission, so you and yours are protected by having young healthy folk vaccinated too. I'm just so glad the young and healthy will take it up to protect people like you.

@MyGazeboisLeaking. Volunteers also get the vaccination

Not in our surgery they don’t. The staff have been vaccinated, but not volunteers. If we have extra we either call someone on the waiting list (still CEV) or the police, to come in.

[quote Darkbrownistheriver]**@MyGazeboisLeaking. Volunteers also get the vaccination

Not in our surgery they don’t. The staff have been vaccinated, but not volunteers. If we have extra we either call someone on the waiting list (still CEV) or the police, to come in.[/quote]

That's not the case for our surgery nor two of my friend's surgeries.

Just goes to show that it's no longer structured or consistent.

I can see why the OP is worried and scared.

They can't vaccinate us all at once, and all they have to go on is data so they aren't always going to get it right. Coming on SM to rant about it isn't constructive and wont change anything. If you think they got it wrong in your case, do something about it.

I'm just going to point out that people don't always tell you the real reason they have a carer, especially if you aren't involved with helping and you don't sound sympathetic.

I'm getting my jab on Wednesday as a carer, but the sick person I care for still has to wait. It does feel strange.

I'm not thrilled about walking into a centre full of people who are seeing others all day, and then going back home to her when I've been so careful for a year. But also if I don't get it and get sick I won't be able to care for her, so I'm just going to go and be as careful as possible.

@Pimlicojo

Mygaz I don't know what your point is, but it feels nasty. And to imply volunteers do it to get the vaccine is disgusting. Some maybe, the people I know? Definitely not. What a vile comment.

Agree totally.

Also to be accurate some volunteers in some roles may be offered the vaccine.

I agree. I am meant to be in group 6 due to reduced kidney function, and like you am a lone parent with kids about to go back to school and to go back to having to commute to work in an area with really high covid rates.

I didn't mind waiting while older groups went, but then 40-49 group, for example, is massive compared with the over-80s, and I'm concerned that the speed is going to massively decrease, especially as the second jabs come due, and I'll have been missed for a totally healthy 42 year old who can WFH...

My area was late getting the initial vaccines, but has been very efficient in the rolling out of them. I had mine yesterday as part of group 6 and they seem to be coming to an end of that group. It looks as if our area is merging groups 7 and 8 as people from both age groups have been given appointments for early March. I would imagine that these groups will be the biggest, owing to the very high birth rate of the mid-fifties to mid-sixties. The plan, country-wide, is to have all over fifties vaccinated by the end of April, although l think my area will be ahead, judging by how efficient they are. It is a case of waiting for your turn. We will all have it eventually.

I looked on the vaccination website to see if I could book DH ( early 60s, vulnerable and a carer) in and I could - so I did! In retrospect I think it was his group 7 age , not his group 6 vulnerabilities that made him eligible. He is registered as a carer so it might have been that? However it’s one less for our gp to do., and apparently the vaccination centre was deserted! I could not book group 6 young adult disabled ds in so I suspect the national booking website only works on age. I can’t see how healthy 40 year olds ( unless carers) can get the vaccine as that group has not started yet. Perhaps there is something you don’t know about such as caring for a relative or shielding. My latest shielding letter told me to book at the national vaccine website so obviously the website must know who is on the ECV list.
There has been a shortage of vaccine this last week so perhaps ithe GPS vaccination s will soon get going again?

@time4anothername
I'm 61 and have an immune supressing treatment for RA. The website said over 64, but as per some advice on these MN boards, it allowed me to book.

@Pimlicojo

Mygaz I don't know what your point is, but it feels nasty. And to imply volunteers do it to get the vaccine is disgusting. Some maybe, the people I know? Definitely not. What a vile comment.

I think you're projecting, @Pimlicojo . No nastiness at all from me. I've had the vaccine, no reason for you to be so pointed to me. Wonder why you were?

My comment was that the system is no longer systematic. People who are vulnerable and fearful are scared and for good reason.

Oh, another first time poster complaining about the vaccines, and dismissing the role of a carer. Surely not!

Mygaz. I wasn't projecting. I was responding to your comment. Nothing more.

@BungleandGeorge, in the end certain asthmatic patients, such as myself and my son, were included in group 6. We both have long acting reliever medicine in our preventative inhalers as well as our everyday relievers, so obviously there has been consideration of the degree of asthma. I have been very cautious throughout because, even if I were no less likely to die than the next person, I have had some bad attacks and chest infections and could become very poorly if l caught coronavirus.

[quote Violinist64]@BungleandGeorge, in the end certain asthmatic patients, such as myself and my son, were included in group 6. We both have long acting reliever medicine in our preventative inhalers as well as our everyday relievers, so obviously there has been consideration of the degree of asthma. I have been very cautious throughout because, even if I were no less likely to die than the next person, I have had some bad attacks and chest infections and could become very poorly if l caught coronavirus.[/quote]
Some asthmatics (me) are in group 4 and CEV. I have been on the shielding list from the start but due to my work couldn't shield. Some in group 6 and some lower. I understand it depends on the medications you need, whether you have needed hospital admittance for it (it kills over 1400 asthmatics a year). Asthma is such a broad term and some don't need medication to control it. Mine is at the extreme end.

@TheSparkleJar

I'm getting my jab on Wednesday as a carer, but the sick person I care for still has to wait. It does feel strange.

I'm not thrilled about walking into a centre full of people who are seeing others all day, and then going back home to her when I've been so careful for a year. But also if I don't get it and get sick I won't be able to care for her, so I'm just going to go and be as careful as possible.

Likewise. I received a letter today telling the person I care for is CV from Covid. But the GP still won't put DD in group 6. As she's 19 she won't get the vaccine until July and meanwhile DS(16) will be at school and unvaccinated. She has been housebound with ME for 5 years, but catching Covid last year made her bedbound.

Apparently the risk of her being bedbound forever if she catches it again via DS isn't a good enough reason to prioritise her over other 19 year olds. In which case the DWP will have to keep funding her disability benefits for the rest of her life. Instead of just giving her a fucking vaccine.

@BonnesVacances

I'm so sorry. Your DD should ABSOLUTELY have been prioritised for the vaccine.

It makes no sense at all that she hasn't been - this is an example of the out-of-synch system that is so unfair.

I hope your DD gets vaccinated very soon.

[quote Darkbrownistheriver]**@Beaniecats. GP surgeries have messed up group 6. Receptionists seem to be deciding which health conditions meet criteria. Absolute bollocks! I work for a GP’s surgery and no way are the receptionists making any decisions re this. The CCG are a bit shit about keeping the surgery informed and sometimes we get information late - patients knew about the additional 1700 CEV patients before we did! Everyone is doing their best with an ever changing situation. [I’m not a receptionist, but it’s all hands on deck at the moment.]

What happens re the CEV is that searches are run across the patient databases to see who qualifies. In our case we have been texting/ringing people to book appointments. We often only know a few days beforehand when the vaccines are coming in so can’t book far ahead. Those receptionists you are so rude about (as well as the GPs, HCAs and nurses) are working weekends and their days off so that people can be vaccinated as quickly as possible. Despite the Government, surgeries and the letters people are receiving all saying DO NOT ring your surgery, when I was at work earlier this week I reckon 80% of the people ringing were asking when they were going to get their Covid jab. We get that people are worried, but we have to stick to the rules. If the receptionists are in doubt as to whether someone has been missed out, they ALWAYS check with the GPs. They don’t have the fucking time to play God!

It’s never going to be a perfect situation. I suppose someone COULD go through the lists with a fine-toothed comb, but that would only slow the process down.

Oh and these women (yes they are nearly always women) get paid £8.70 per hour for the privilege, with no double-time, when they work on a Sunday afternoon.[/quote]
100% this. I am a GP and think we're doing a fantastic job in really difficult circumstances. Our receptionists and admin team have been outstanding. We haven't been able to drop any routine work to take this on.

I think people confuse the different booking sites.

The national booking site, which is the same as calling 119, allows people to book based in age, plus Carers or those in social care at the moment. It says for those 64 and over on front page, but it allows anyone over 60 to book. These people are group 7. They are eligible because it allows them to book. People can book using this without a letter just because of age. When people receive a letter inviting them and giving a link, the link is to this site.

Those in group 6 are different and cannot book on the national site. They receive a text or a letter or a call from their surgery or their local hub. They might well receive a link to book, but this is not a link to the national site. This is where the confusion lies with people saying they booked online..well yes they did, but when people hear ‘booked online’ they think it means via the national online system, but it’s not that. Local areas use different online booking systems to their local hubs via GP for group 6, but they aren’t using the national booking site.

Often people who just go on the online national booking system and book through age, find a day or two later they get the letter anyway....but that site will allow anyone if eligible age to book. So if you’re 60 before March, have a look and try. Lots of local GO surgery and CCG websites are actively encouraging people to book online who are over 60 (or Carers who can book there too) as some mass centres (which is where those booking on the national system tend to get sent) are too quiet.

It’s just Group 6 who need to wait to hear direct. But some areas have finished Group 6 now and they are moving through, so lots of people really will hear in the next week or so.

Group 6 get vaccinated at local centres or hubs...some are community centres or other local buildings or occasionally at a surgery (not usually as surgeries still need to operate). Age groups are generally directed to the bigger mass centres and pharmacies via the national booking centre. For people who don’t respond quickly when they get a letter, they are followed up by the GP and offered the local hubs.

But the key is that everyone should book as soon as they are eligible to book (60+ on national booking site now) or as soon as they get a letter or text or call. What slows it down is some people not being willing to travel to the mass centres (although there shouldn’t be anyone over 70 and probably 65 being asked to do that now, and given the vulnerable are in group 6 and done locally, the vast vast majority of healthy adults of those ages should be able to travel a few miles to the mass centres.

Lots of confusion and misinformation out there. But essentially group 6 is massive and everyone can’t be first to be done. That group is essentially running alongside the age groups who are on the different system described above. So it could well be group 5 and then 7 and even 8 run alongside group 6. But they are booking in a different way and being vaccinated in different places. Remember group 6 is as big as groups 5 and 7 and probably 8 combined. It will take a while.

I'm group 6, I've booked my appointment today

@MyGazeboisLeaking. Is this a surgery your work at, or that you are a patient at? Not being goody, but if it’s the latter it may well be that some of the volunteers are CEV. We had a couple of volunteers at the first clinic I did in January who told me it was the first time they’d been out since March as they’d been shielding. They hadn’t had their vaccines then, but they may well have now. They were volunteering because they’d had a lot of support from the surgery in the past and wanted to give something back.

Goody not goody!

Ffs - predictive text! *Goady not goody!

Thanks WombatChocolate. Took your advice and booked online. I'm 60 and healthy but got appointment for Tuesday.

Most people in groups 40-49 and 30-39 won't be having jabs, so your turn comes a lot quicker than you think.

Nice try @Bored2death2020

Those people who won’t be having their jabs wouldn’t be the same as those who are complaining bitterly that they’ll be the last ones to get their vaccine passports?