Unpaid carer vaccine eligibility

[Elephantsaregrey]

Hi. I would be grateful for opinions regarding this. My son has a diagnosis of ASD and has an EHCP with 25 equiv 1:1 at school so has a reasonably significant level of difficulties. We are not eligible to claim CA but I've just realised we should have been claiming DLA for him so have just sent the forms in. I am not sure if one of us is eligible to receive the vaccine as an unpaid carer or not, because my son isn't CEV, and we don't have proof of DLA or CA. I am not flagged as an unpaid carer on mg GP record depite asking to be.

There’s a checklist on the NHS vaccine booking website. You’re eligible if you got the criteria on there

It says "you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus" on the site

Hi. My understanding of this is that you wouldn't be eligible (regardless of the DLA) unless your child is at high risk from Coronavirus. I'm sure someone will be along to say that they are in similar circumstances and have had it but there seems to be a level of randomness to the vaccine rollout.

The England online booking system had been significantly tightened over the past two weeks to requiring that the person you care for be significantly vulnerable to covid themselves. Your best bet is to get back on to the gp and persue being flagged that way, because then you'll likely get an invite through the local gp hub system. Group 6 has been a shit show for unpaid carers not in receipt of CA unfortunately.

You won’t be able to book on the NHS website but you should be able to book via local vaccination systems like siftqueue if your locality uses them. Have a chat with your GP.

Swiftqueue

Yes, I can book directly with a vaccination centre if I say I am an unpaid carer but felt that i am not really eligible so haven't done so via this route. I think I'll wait, especially given that I am late 40s so shouldn't be too much longer. Many thanks for the feedback/opinions. It wasn't very clear so helpful to see others' take on it.

@Quadrangle

It says "you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus" on the site

I am for my husband, but I didn't get priority. I still had to wait for my age-band eligibility.

I'm in a similar situation, and although my boy does not receive any extra help at school, it would be highly unlikely that he would cooperate with any medical treatment if he were ill, can be challenging and would not be happy to accept a change of carer. Basically, I can't afford to be ill!

I'm mid-forties and work part-time in a customer facing role. I consider myself CV due to my dodgy chest from previous bouts of pneumonia, but despite this, I don't appear to be in group 6. Hoping that group 10 comes around soon!

landofgiants - yes, if my son gets ill we are really in trouble. It took three adults to pin him down last time for a blood test and he screamed the hospital down! This was after three failed attempts at the local GP surgery.

Elephants - DS last had a blood test 6 years ago - I have yet to recover!

I am very sorry (especially now that we know just how much Covid has affected people with learning disabilities) but someone at high risk is someone who is at high risk of having to be hospitalised with covid. Statistically it doesn't include your DS.

Some people aged 46 and over are being called locally, so it shouldn't be too long for you hopefully. Fingers crossed.