Queueing at vaccine centre?

[WhyOhWine]

I am booked to get my vaccine on Thursday (group 6) at a GP hub. Given how far it is from our house (in central-ish London) it must be covering a wide area, so I am curious to know if i can expect lots of waiting around/chaotic queues etc. How have people found this, including at the mass centres?

The centre I went to didn’t really have a queue, I was in and seen within 5 minutes. I queue door maybe 1-2 minutes whilst inside.

There’s another big vaccination centre near me and there are always people queuing outside that one. Not sure about inside.

I went to a big centre. I arrived exactly on time and was asked to wait in a short queue inside. I saw others being told to wait outside (I guess they were very early).

It was well organised, I gave my details and had my temperature checked at one desk then went to a nurse who checked for allergies etc
I then went and had the vaccination and was told to wait in my car for twenty minutes before driving home. I waited five minutes then came home
The staff and volunteers were all well organised but I did overhear the man next to me being asked why he had brought the wrong letter, it was for a female.

The one I went to was really busy, but it was so well organised there was virtually no queuing. It was a very efficient production line and I was in and out within 5 minutes.

No queue at ours. I was in and out in 10 minutes.

I have helped out at a GP-led vaccine centre in London recently so hope this is helpful.
There were several GPs populations being vaccinated that day with hundreds of people having appointments.

• There were lots of volunteers in high-vis jackets to direct you where to go/maintain social distancing/provide surgical masks
• Once people arrived they were directed to an area to “check in” and go through a questionnaire with healthcare professionals, at times small queues of up to 5 people would build up outside, inside there was places marked out for social distances queueing for health professionals, but most people did not seem to have to queue and were in and out in about 5 mins
• once this was complete people went for their vaccine indoors, again limited queueing required and plenty of volunteers to assist with queue management
• maybe bring a jacket if you’ll be cold outside for 5-10 minutes,, but you shouldn’t need to queue much longer based on my experiences
• once you arrive at the centre go ahead to the staff/volunteers as they’re likely to take you even if you’re a bit early for your appointment, and don’t panic if you’re running a bit behind.
• I was impressed at how it was organised and managed and many people commented
• remember most other people getting vaccinated will be there for similar reasons to yourself, so are likely to be pleased and keen to get through it quickly and in a safe way, so don’t be apprehensive 😊

I queued but it was indoors and very well managed and properly distanced. I turned up at the right time but it took about another 10 minutes to get jabbed. They did seem to be letting people who turned up early join the queue though.

The queue at hours is about 5 minutes to the details desk then another 5 - 10 minutes to the vaccination room. A couple of minutes for the vaccination then moved directly to the waiting area, where you wait 15 minutes (in case of reaction) before leaving - this isn't timed or monitored.

And the queue is well managed, socially distanced and you have to wear your mask.

Oh different from my mums at the GP, she had to sit in a room with everyone else that had had the jab afterwards for 15 minutes, she wasn't impressed.

I went to a big centre at the weekend they checked your appointment time before they let you enter the car park. Anyone arriving too early gets turned away and told to come back so this seems to limit the amount of people waiting around. The queuing system was good an allowed for distancing and I’d say I was only waiting 5 minutes before my jab. All very efficient and calm.

When I took my older relative, a bloke in a high vis wanted me to roll my window down so he could stick his face in the car to tell me where to park. Despite me already indicating to turn to follow the NHS VACCINATION CENTRE PARKING sign. That's all he wanted to tell me. Follow the sign.

Then a woman wanted to squirt hand sanitizer on our hands personally from a distance of about three inches.

Then we did the social distance tango with the next volunteer who advanced forward every time we backed up to try and get a metre of distance. She had to give my relative her card but I saw no reason for her to be nearer than two outstretched hands. I turned the wheelchair round so I was nearest to the space invader not my vulnerable relative but then the hand sanitizer lady came up close leaned over her and was chatting and patting her knee.

Then we waited indoors for 20 minutes. I would have rather been kept outside. The volunteers were all very friendly but nobody was social distancing.

Then the jab,

Which was fine.

But I really wanted to shout at the top of my voice

THESE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE TO COVID. HAVE NONE OF YOU HEARD OF SOCIAL DISTANCING ??!!

I was in and out within 10 minutes very efficiently run. There was someone greeting those in cars checking their appointment times and asked people to remain in their car until the correct appointment time.

thanks all. Just trying to figure out the best way to get there (I have not used London public transport since the summer and not that keen to do so for this purpose, particularly as it is not a straightforward journey) so trying to figure out how much I will need to load on a parking meter assuming there is not a dedicated car park (I don't know the area where the centre is). I might try to persuade DH to come with me and he can then lurk in the car somewhere if we cant park easily, and if we can park he can accompany me and have a shot at getting an unused dose (he is group 9), although I suspect my appointment is too early in the day for that!

I had imagined for the large centres there would be a long queue for parking followed by a long queue for the vaccine.

I went to a big centre last week. It was busier than normal (I heard!) but the queues were incredibly thought through & well managed, to maintain distancing, and keep everyone moving, and most importantly allow those who were actually giving the Jab to continuously do that which is the whole point I guess! There were about 4 different queues during the whole process but as I say, really impressively organised. Good luck

I was vaccinated at a social club ( Group 2). No problem parking, waited about 10 minutes and straight in.
We had to sit on socially distanced chairs with a 15 minute timer, could leave when it went off.
Only disappointment that when we left through the bar area, it wasn't open

one of our local vacc centres (there are 2 in 12 minute walk distance) has very max Qs = 5 people usually no Q. The other vacc centre regularly has 30 person Qs. I got yelled at for mentioning this difference on Facebook. You're supposed to be very grateful and wear a hairshirt for having been offered jab at all.

Anyway, I would assume you need to Q in the cold for a long spell. Bonus if you don't.

Oh, and short-Q centre has lots parking in spite of having a small carpark, while long-Q centre has crammed in very space but large carpark. Long-Q jab-hub is a regional hub so people are driving long way to get there. I would look for free parking a nice walking distance away rather than have to idle in a non-parking spot like some are at our regional centre.

There's a sign up at long-Q centre saying don't Q until 10 minutes before your appointment time, but if you see a 30 person slow-moving Q, you don't feel like you can just follow that instruction, do you.

Took us 2 hours from joining the queue to leaving last week.
Queue steward asked us our jab times, 12:10 (it was already 12:15), he nodded sagely and said we would be at least an hour!
On the invitation letter, it says you need to bring a face covering and the registration number that the website generates.
In practice, you need your NHS number (no one even asked for the registration number) as the staff searching for this is what was causing the hold up.

@rslsys

Took us 2 hours from joining the queue to leaving last week. Queue steward asked us our jab times, 12:10 (it was already 12:15), he nodded sagely and said we would be at least an hour! On the invitation letter, it says you need to bring a face covering and the registration number that the website generates. In practice, you need your NHS number (no one even asked for the registration number) as the staff searching for this is what was causing the hold up.

Good to know @rslsys. We've got lots of 60-65s in the family waiting for The Call.

@PrincessNutNuts do they know that they can book online for their vaccine? If they’re in NI or England, not sure about Wales/Scotland. Matt Hancock mentioned last night that all over 60s (in England) can book online without waiting for their letter to arrive.

www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/covid-19-vaccination-programme-northern-ireland

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