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

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

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.

@Carycy

It probably isn’t worth the time and money to put more secure checks in for the small minority that are dishonest. At the end of the day every jab in an arm is a step closer to herd immunity of the population. So while it seems a bit unfair on individuals we just have to look at the big picture.

This I do my parents shopping , cool and clean for them and I booked the jab I am in their house so booked

@PurpleCrocuses you obviously weren't queue jumping so no one with a modicum of brain power would include you in their anger!

"An acquaintance of mine just yesterday told me that she has declared herself a 'carer' for a disabled client she does 2hrs cleaning for per week"

Looking at the definition of unpaid carer on the nhs booking site this would be fine

This isn't correct. You don't have to be registered as a carer with a GP to qualify. You can book it direct via the national booking programme online and they can't ask for proof.

@Witchlight: In our house, we both do the caring. I empathise with the cold thing. It usually takes me 6-8 weeks to get rid of a cold. The first two weeks of that, I'm awake most of the night coughing and hacking...

I'm the registered carer, but if DH goes down with something, there's no way I'd cope without support. No priority vaccine for him.

@partyatthepalace: it matters when those who need it/are vulnerable can't get a vaccine/have to wait weeks/months longer because someone else (not vulnerable) jumped the queue.

It’d be different if there were queues of vulnerable people still waiting to be vaccinated.

But there are masses of vulnerable people still to be vaccinated. Both huge numbers of higher priority groups who have still to get 2nd jabs, and loads of people who were bumped out of group 6 even though still categorised as being CV.

When I went for my second dose, there was a long queue and my DH got my chair out and helped me into it. I told DH to get back in the car as there was no point us both getting cold (plus I don't feel the cold part of my neuro problem).

I had barely passed the bonnet of the car when a staff person told me to follow her and took me in a back way and had me parked my chair up inside, telling me, they couldn't have me waiting out there in the cold.

I was very grateful but also upset inside because of the special treatment. They brought another lady in a wheelchair in that way as I was leaving.

A lot of grumbles from the queue. Especially as we got to park on the car park too, as the staff were turning everyone away except blue badge owners like me.

Guess the staff won't win whatever they do.

Oh, my DH went for his carer Covid jab yesterday and I sent him with loads of proof and they waved him through and never asked for anything! But he is genuinely a carer for me!

On another thread a poster was being egged on to claim to be a ‘carer’ because her (vaccinated ) mother lives in the same house....

@Sleepyblueocean

"The online form says you need to be a carer for someone who would be at high risk if they caught COVID (aka CEV)"

High risk is CV. CEV is highest risk.

Yes but when you click on the link to clarify whether the person you’re caring for qualifies it takes you to a page explaining CEV, not CV.

My twins don’t have a condition which would make them more vulnerable to COVID, but the risk of us getting sick is high as they are both autistic and can’t communicate.

It’s not people jumping the queue that pisses me off - it’s the fact that so many legitimate carers aren’t being invited as they should be ever since the wording was changed (originally it was carers for those who would be at risk if their carer got sick, now it’s carers for those at high risk from COVID). It’s a complete lottery.

It’s bad enough that I can’t get CA despite the fact I can only work 7 hrs a week, but the surgery refusing to register us because we don’t get it really pisses me off. They are our children, they could look at their notes for a couple of seconds and to confirm their needs

A friend was at a big vaccination centre in Surrey today. Basically empty.

She was told they have 400 available slots tomorrow.

They should lower the threshold to at least 48.

Surely no one wants vaccines to be binned just because people are taking the moral high ground.

@DavidsSchitt she's this clients' paid cleaner, so I don't think so. She didn't think so either.

I really do not think it is "tons of people".

I also believe that individuals lying on the NHS website are more likely to engage in risky behaviour so it is safer for all of us if they get vaccinated. Vaccinating vulnerable will drive down deaths, vaccinating potential superspreaders / rule breakers will reduce transmission (yes, there is sufficient evidence vaccines help with that).

@wintertravel1980 that’s a very good point

I have no issue with people getting it who need it first and have fallen through the cracks- it’s not perfect. A very close friend is very ill with a rare condition and she hasn’t been included in the group 6 so I might tell her about this tomorrow as I’m annoyed she hadn’t.
Mostly I’m mad about a young healthy man and his mates lying to get it when I know for a fact that he doesn’t even help his own mum with general stuff, never mind caring for her.
I might start lingering outside our nearest hub at the end of the day looking sad 😂

@Mummyoflittledragon not me. I'm 60 in July no booking system in Scotland, and no sign of an invitation yet. I'd be willing to travel

@TimeQuest01 Could they send some up here please?

@MrsTerryPratchett

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.

Exactly this. I vaccinate and I really don't care why they are there, as long they are fine to have it then I give it. Earlier on when we were vaccinating higher risk and cases were still high, I'd have been annoyed at people faking it and taking a dose from someone in higher need. But by now, most high risk and over 60s have been done so the more the better really. The admin for it all is already costing us thousands in staff time that won't likely be reimbursemed, we can't make it any more complicated.

This is interesting for anyone not sure if they’re eligible (and live in Sussex) www.thecarerscentre.org/covid-19-vaccine-faqs-for-carers/

I am a carer for a disabled person and I was able to get a vaccine without any checks. I was surprised how easy it actually was.

@PurpleCrocuses you did the right thing.

Ragz, I agree, at this stage it's dipping into early 40s being done, and rates are low, earlier on it would have been different to Rob the infirm and elderly..

Not sure it was ever a good idea to let anyone just book themselves in with no checks. In Scotland we have to wait for a letter, only then can we log in to change appointment time etc.

It's four weeks ago now, but DW got her Group 6 call from the GP while I was tied up in a meeting at work (not wfh). DW is Group 6 due to disability, and we reckoned I should be Group 6 as I am coeliac. She asked if I could be done at the same time, as she would need accompanying anyway, and they said they couldn't book me unless they spoke to me.

I got a frantic text telling me to call the GP as soon as I was free, which I did, and then got a lot of questions as to whether I was DW's carer (which, as her (hopefully D)H I believe I am, since although I work pretty well full time there's no-one else), but no questions relating to my own Group 6 status. They did give me a booking but I'm still not sure whether I got it as her carer or in my own right.

I really hope people aren't doing this. I'm 46 and desperately waiting for mine. I can't afford to get ill because my DD is so challenging. If I get ill I can't restrain her.