Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Can this be true? Tons of people lying to get vaccine.

460 replies

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 21/03/2021 14:59

My mum has just told me that my dodgy cousin (about 30) has just had his vaccine with all of his builder mates by lying and saying they are ‘unpaid carers’ on the nhs website. She said no one bothered to check any of them.
Firstly, how bloody outrageous of them pulling the wool over the vaccine centres eyes and secondly, why isn’t their any check, however minor?
I know we all need to get done eventually but this has really pissed me off.

OP posts:
Bookriddle · 21/03/2021 15:39

I must admit, my wife lied to get my vaccine, said I had asthma, but the day after I had my first does I got a letter advising me to shield

SinkGirl · 21/03/2021 15:40

[quote AvaCallanach]@BuggerBognor

When my GP and I discussed it the criteria was caring for a disabled or elderly person who would be significantly and disproportionately impacted if you (carer) were to become ill or be hospitalised.[/quote]
Sadly that’s not what the form says now!

ekidmxcl · 21/03/2021 15:40

I got an unpaid carer jab, but had to go through my GP. Fortunately my mum and step dad, who I do caring for, are also patients at the same GP and there were records that they knew I was doing the caring and how ill both my mum and stepdad are.

EasterIssland · 21/03/2021 15:40

[quote SixDegrees]@EasterIssland So the NHS website will let anyone at all book a vaccine if they tick the carer box on the screen??[/quote]
Yes. I checked it with my dh details and it’s allowing him doing it (I didn’t finish it as he isn’t one but it’s allowing him )
If you select Heath worker it’ll say you need proof and fail to do so will mean you won’t have it. But for unpaid carer there is no mention of needing to proof it

HandyBendySandy · 21/03/2021 15:41

I got two texts inviting me for my jab (one from my surgery, one from NHS), and the surgery one said it was due to my "underlying health condition".

To my knowledge I don't have one - during a gynae appt at the surgery last year they offered me a free flu vac "due to my gallstones", so I pointed out that I no longer had them as everything had been removed in 2017. They obviously haven't corrected that on the system, hence the invite for this one a little ahead of time - I'm only 48, although my DH is all done and he's 50.

I've booked it, I hope I don't get accused of lying!

Rumdiddly · 21/03/2021 15:46

Arguably most people in the country are Carer's of one type or another. My mum has a heart condition and I do her shopping and bigger deep cleaning and my nana is 92 with very poor health and I help her shower once a week. I think a large number of people in this country are in this position. Does this qualify as being a Carer?

DonGray · 21/03/2021 15:46

There are no checks
The Science Museum is a vaccine centre supposedly serving NW London but plenty of SW residents have managed to book appointments there - not in any of the priority groups either

2020isnotbehaving · 21/03/2021 15:46

Of course this was going to happen. They should have at least taken the name and details of the person you are a carer for. Then check a certain % of them. Then massive fines for anyone caught out. No checks no risk of being caught, why wouldn’t you?

I’d love to see after all this how many carers are in the UK. Surely must be easy to get the data from reasons on those had its so far.

notrub · 21/03/2021 15:48

They had to make a choice between putting hurdles in place which would make it harder for unpaid carers to book and thus potentially risk lives, or just hope that people would be mostly honest and not steal vaccines.

I think they made the right choice in the circumstances.

BuggerBognor · 21/03/2021 15:50

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/03/2021 15:51

From a population level view, who cares? I mean it's better to get the biggest volume of people through as quickly as possible. If there's an arm and you're holding a vaccine, have at it. Even if some of those arms are attached to arseholes.

Lots of checks and paperwork would be slow and expensive. Just rely on the fact that most people know how to queue nicely.

notrub · 21/03/2021 15:51

Coming it at from a different angle - while it must be galling if you are desperate to get your injection and have to wait, while watching low-lifes jump the queue, it's great there's such a demand for vaccines! The more people are vaccinated, the safer EVERYONE will be, so let's also celebrate that we're not living in a country where people are so terrified of vaccines that the epidemic has no end in sight.

Sleepyblueocean · 21/03/2021 15:51

"Of course this was going to happen. They should have at least taken the name and details of the person you are a carer for. Then check a certain % of them. Then massive fines for anyone caught out. No checks no risk of being caught, why wouldn’t you?"

They are better spending that time and money on vaccinating people.
You might be one of those that lie but the majority of people wouldn't.

Franklydear · 21/03/2021 15:51

Proof of unpaid carer will be receiving DLA or pip, and a card of the various carers association, of course they ask for proof

notrub · 21/03/2021 15:52

@MrsTerryPratchett

Even if some of those arms are attached to arseholes.

Best comment of the week Grin

Staffy1 · 21/03/2021 15:53

I don't know how they are doing it. I am an unpaid carer but could not book on the online booking system because there was no option for "unpaid carer", even though the main page said they were eligible to book. It asked if you were a frontline health worker or frontline social care worker and if you said no to those, it said you weren't eligible. There were several threads about this on MN about how many of us were finding it difficult to get booked and it was potluck whether we had a GP that would book us or not.

SinkGirl · 21/03/2021 15:55

They had to make a choice between putting hurdles in place which would make it harder for unpaid carers to book and thus potentially risk lives, or just hope that people would be mostly honest and not steal vaccines.

Except many unpaid carers like me haven’t had it because we aren’t willing to lie / don’t know what evidence will be needed. So they definitely haven’t done well at removing barriers

sherrystrull · 21/03/2021 15:55

@Pastanred

Everyone i know is doing this

But it works both ways

My local lea ‘bagsied’ all the spare doses last weekend and booked at the teachers in my town in - that was last week and yet my mates who are police etc actually got turned away

Lea are doing this is lots of areas to gwtvtrachers the vaccine dispite other occupations having higher risk of death etc

I’m teacher and many of my colleagues have gotten spares thru lea this way

Not right really

I honestly don't think you're a teacher.

For what it's worth, I think it's great that school staff are having leftovers. I hope the police can also have leftovers soon.

thecatandthevicar · 21/03/2021 15:55

why should anyone check?

No one checks the "childcare bubbles" or anything else either. Who cares if someone has the jab a bit earlier if they want it.

RedcurrantPuff · 21/03/2021 15:55

I’m registered as an unpaid carer and also high BMI so just got a letter from the NHS with an appointment. My husband is also an unpaid carer and booked through the online portal. I was wondering if he should take our son’s diagnosis letter and DLA letter with him but he didn’t and no one asked for proof.

Sleepyblueocean · 21/03/2021 15:56

"Proof of unpaid carer will be receiving DLA or pip, and a card of the various carers association, of course they ask for proof"

It's not that simple.

wkshsiayuu · 21/03/2021 15:56

At my work place a link was sent round to book. The person sharing thought it was genuine and most of us booked. After looking into it a bit more we realised although we could have gone and got vaccinated using our work IDs without any questions the link wasn't specifically aimed at us. So we all cancelled our appointments and have waited to be called in the correct way.
Yes there will always be people who abuse the system and queue jump etc, they have to live with their morals or lack of, but I think you will find the vast majority won't behave in this way.

Redlocks28 · 21/03/2021 15:57

Can’t say it bothers me-the more people getting done, the better. If people are turning up and getting done, vaccines are not being wasted and the population will get covered.

Username0981237645 · 21/03/2021 15:57

I definitely would believe this. I was shocked to learn a relative had his last week, is definitely not a carer, and is definitely not in the age brackets, just by saying they were carers. That to me is taking the dose off somebody who is actually entitled to it at this time and is therefore akin to saying their life is more important.

RedcurrantPuff · 21/03/2021 15:57

@Rumdiddly

Arguably most people in the country are Carer's of one type or another. My mum has a heart condition and I do her shopping and bigger deep cleaning and my nana is 92 with very poor health and I help her shower once a week. I think a large number of people in this country are in this position. Does this qualify as being a Carer?
In Scotland that would count. Your mum and nan rely on you for support. They’d be stuffed if you got sick and had to isolate.