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Original poster

The vaccine delay has really knocked me

209 replies

daisiesinmay · 22/03/2021 09:33

For background I'm 49 and a lone parent. of course it's good about the amount of vaccines done. But right now, the sudden announcement of the delay last week felt like the final straw somehow for me.

I had already been worried about dcs back at school, but was following the news closely, looking on the vaccine calculator regularly, and -stupidly- told myself it would be in April. Feels like I was hanging on by my fingertips for that.

Since that's been withdrawn I feel so down. Most people I know seem to have got the vaccine now. I'm wondering if for 49s it will even get here in May - if there's a shortage they'll have to prioritise second doses.

I'm surprised how much it's knocked me down. Just totally lacking in hope now, thoroughly fed up, feel depressed. Anyone else get this?

OP posts:
roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 22/03/2021 11:26

I'm early 50s and no sign of mine yet. The UK are doing pretty well in vaccine terms even with the delay so you need to focus on that.

Dementedswan · 22/03/2021 11:30

Over 50s can book on the national site @roundturnandtwohalfhitches

BrownFootStool · 22/03/2021 11:31

Both AZ and Pfizer have said there will be no interruption in supplies to the UK. I also felt gutted by what the news was saying but it may not transpire that way. There is a lot of 'might/may/could' going on all over.

ssd · 22/03/2021 11:33

Theres 17 million moderna vaccines coming in April

Don't give up

ssd · 22/03/2021 11:35

Its 95% effective and protects against the Kent varient too..

User27aw · 22/03/2021 11:43

@ssd

Theres 17 million moderna vaccines coming in April

Don't give up

Yes I am pinning my hopes on the Moderna one now. Fingers crossed.
ACovidofWitches · 22/03/2021 11:53

It is really tough and I think you have every right to feel low. We've all had such a horrible year and these knocks are very hard to take.

I'm hoping they will get things sorted and you will still be done before long and things are definitely safer the more we move towards spring. The virus numbers are so low now and with 50% having had a first jab that will slow down how things can spread. Fingers crossed for you that you stay safe and well.

AlpiniPraline · 22/03/2021 11:53

It's only natural to be disappointed when the Telegraph was reporting on 12th March all over 40s would be vaccinated by Easter and then the rug gets pulled. Probably easier to not mind if someone is younger/less at risk/already had the vax/not got kids depending on them.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/12/exclusive-vaccines-40s-easter-bumper-boost-supplies/amp/

joanneg36 · 22/03/2021 11:57

My friend who is 48 has just been called today (North London).

Graciebobcat · 22/03/2021 12:05

It's bloody annoying.

The thing I have found hardest throughout the whole pandemic is having hope which is then taken away. Lockdown is fine, it's much harder as things open up and you make plans which you then can't see through. I wish they wouldn't fucking do this.

The worst one for me was a planned trip to an area of the UK to see family which suddenly upper the restrictions a few days before we were due to go last August and meant we couldn't go (announced on Twitter!). I knew things would be shit come September onwards and it was an opportunity for a window of normality which was suddenly taken away and it sent me absolutely crackers. I was then a ball of anxiety when we went on holiday in the UK as I was sure we weren't going to get there and something was going to happen when meant we couldn't go or would be held up on the way. We got held up in traffic for half an hour about ten minutes from home and I just cried my eyes out. We made it in the end, but basically Matt Hancock tipped me right over the edge. I'd just been holding it together the whole time and it was a real kick in the teeth.

ContraryOpinion · 22/03/2021 12:10

Would it be worth ringing local vaccination hubs and asking if they have any spare/failed appointments?

Frequentflier · 22/03/2021 12:16

One more who is 49 and struggling, especially with schools open. So near, and yet so far... I hope we get them by May at least.

Cornettoninja · 22/03/2021 12:16

Try and keep perspective. As others have said, we’re ahead of schedule at the moment, we have some wriggle room.

It’s amazing that we’re even in the position we are; these vaccines were developed and funded with the expectation that maybe we might have got one working vaccine out of it by now and look at how many we have. We could have so easily been sitting here with no prospect of a vaccination at all right now.

All that said, on an individual level it’s so hard to feel a it’s just within your reach but have to wait. But look at what’s going on around you, cases are lower, restrictions are lifting and importantly the weather is improving making outside an attractive place to be. It’s tough waiting but try to make the best of what is improving while you wait.

IloveJKRowling · 22/03/2021 12:20

I'm completely with you OP. I've been battling on all year trying to keep positive for the kids, trying to see the very meagre glimmer of hope in everything, despite all the cock ups and the endless deaths that could have been avoided, and you know what I've hit my wall now. I can't keep positive any more. My daughter is in a classroom with 30 others, shoulder to shoulder with no masks for her or her teachers (I've had a long fight with the Head, and he won't budge, says he's following shit for brains DfE advice) and honestly I just can't stay positive any more.

I don't really understand why people are able to get a vaccine as a carer if they do shopping for their mum (or even if they don't do any caring if what we read on mumsnet is to be believed) and yet widowed or lone parents don't get any priority.

This. Especially with schools open as they are i.e. crammed wall to wall with kids.

It's bad enough being two late 40s parents with underlying conditions and no-one to have our kids if we get ill. It must be a complete nightmare being a single parent.

There is so much that is unfair about the system too. I think when they were making good progress that was a lot easier to deal with.

100% with you OP.

I see absolutely no reason to be positive anymore. In fact, I think feeling anything other than utter misery at the situation would fly in the face of logic and facts.

IloveJKRowling · 22/03/2021 12:32

And just to be clear - it's the being forced to send kids into unsafe schools that is the real killer for me.

If the school was doing small class sizes social distanced (as they did last summer when rates were much lower) or masks or ANYTHING at ALL to stop covid spread then I'd feel happier. (don't get me wrong, they're handwashing as much as they can and doing all they can with the money they have - but it amounts to bugger all to stop a respiratory virus with 30 crammed in a tiny classroom)

Knowing so many have been vaccinated - including people like my WFH NHS admin friends two decade younger than me - is really hard when there is literally nothing being done to protect my kids from infecting us - if they do the lifelong mental health consequences will be dire for them. Yet a big fat fucking nothing to stop covid spread in their schools.

If I didn't have kids I wouldn't mind waiting at all. But I do, and it's the impact on them that worries me. I know enough 40something women with long covid and the terrible impact it's had on their kids.

ConnieDobbs · 22/03/2021 12:38

Yes me too, I'm a few years younger than you but narrowly missed group 6 for my health condition. Then I thought I would be getting it soon due to being over 40. And now that hope has been snatched away too. Apparently our local vaccine centre is only doing second doses now.

I work from home but my kids are in school and my partner works in a public facing role so I still feel quite vulnerable.

callthevet · 22/03/2021 12:52

OP keep trying the online booking system, but remember to clear cookies each time. The age gets lowered on there before it's announced. It's worth keep checking.

Daytimetellysucks · 22/03/2021 12:57

Yes, me too

I’m 45 and I was thinking it wouldn’t be long until it was my turn and now I keep seeing reports of it being delayed by months.

Especially when the press were reporting over 40s could be vaccinated before Easter not that long ago.

I’m not particularly worried about contracting the virus to be honest, it’s more I’m worried that they’ll delay bringing us out of lockdown.

hennybeans · 22/03/2021 13:01

I'm finding the delay a struggle too, op. I have managed all year ok and been very patient for my turn, genuinely joyful when others got theirs because it was one step closer to my turn. I just don't feel like that anymore.

I used to read the good news thread on here but I can't anymore as every second post is someone happily saying they got theirs today. I am totally out of magnanimity. I don't want to hear about 800k jabs in a day.

I have one friend older than me who hasn't got hers, every other person I know 40+ has. I know that makes me safer but I'm still angry. It's all a combination of their job, their age, their health, or just being in the right place/ good fortune/ having a family member as a GP to get a dose going spare. I'm worried about my DC in secondary school bringing it home. It feels never ending and totally out of my control, random and unfair.

KatherineJaneway · 22/03/2021 13:07

I'm the same. 49 and the delay feels like just another blow.

Original poster
daisiesinmay · 22/03/2021 13:13

So grateful for each and every comment on here. It does help a lot to talk about it and hear from others. It does feel like for late 40s we are out of sync with people so close in age who are all cheerful about their jab, and that's a weird feeling really.

I think the way it was communicated is the main problem- from giving so much hope, to suddenly it won't be until at least May and nothing happening in April, which made it seem like even if there's spares they'll save them for the groups 1-9. I'd rather have the hope of it in April even if it didn't materialise, if that makes sense. It's the hope being pulled away. Each month seems to drag on and May seems ages away and I'm worried that the vaccinated people will be mixing (with their kids) so much more over Easter, making things more risky.

Good point about the Moderna though, I wonder if that's still happening in April. Let's hope so. I'm not feeling from the Government's point of view that any shits are given for anyone under 50 right now.

OP posts:
Original poster
daisiesinmay · 22/03/2021 13:15

Also thanks for the suggestions about trying the vaccination centres and the website and things, grateful and will certainly try, but have low expectations after last weeks announcement of what seems to be a ban on giving it to under 50s.

OP posts:
IloveJKRowling · 22/03/2021 13:22

I'm not feeling from the Government's point of view that any shits are given for anyone under 50 right now

Yes. Let's remember this come election time.

middleager · 22/03/2021 13:23

I feel the same at 48 and DH, 47. Two kids at different secondaries in high risk inner city deprived areas, 9 isolations between them, year 10, one of whom brought Covid home.

I'm finding it hard that my old surgery is vaccinating friends in their early 40s and that other friends my age who live by me(different surgery) are also being vaccinated. It's a GP surgery lottery here.

middleager · 22/03/2021 13:28

If I didn't have kids I wouldn't mind waiting at all. But I do, and it's the impact on them that worries me. I know enough 40something women with long covid and the terrible impact it's had on their kids

This.

When my children were home learning the risk was minimal. I didn't worry too much, but since they've returned to secondaries I feel like we are just sitting ducks.