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Original poster

Expected to travel 18 miles for Covid Vaccine?

29 replies

Cobb121 · 24/03/2021 18:55

I’ve had my invite for the vaccine as my child is clinically vulnerable. The nearest vaccine site it’s offering me is 18 miles away. Is there anyway I can get vaccinated closer to home? If I took
Public transport there’s no way I could get the vaccine done and be back home in time
For school pickup.

I know there’s a community centre 3 miles away that’s doing the vaccine as my mum has her first vaccine there this weekend.

OP posts:
notrub · 24/03/2021 18:59

It all depends on who invited you.

You can turn this offer down and wait for your GP to offer you a local one, or the general invite from the NHS when it's the turn of your "group", where you can then pick where to have it.

But it you want to take advantage of this early offer, no - the location options are limited to those presented.

omygoditsearly · 24/03/2021 19:00

Yes, you can book online. Google nhs book COVID vaccine, all the available centres are listed.

Moondust001 · 24/03/2021 19:07

18 miles is a very long way away. Is there an obvious reason? Like are you in a rural area? I'm just a bit surprised because (a) I'm rural and there are many centres closer to me then that, and (b) clinically vulnerable around here were done by GPs and have finished all first doses for that group now.

lljkk · 24/03/2021 19:30

Local surgery advertised they had 215 spaces last week at the vaccine centre I can see from my house Just phone the surgery to book.

Phone the surgery, long spiel on recording about DO NOT PHONE THE SURGERY TO ASK FOR VACCINATIONS WE WILL CONTACT YOU. I persevered to the next stage anyway, but gave up after 30 rings.

(rumour is) The regional hub (12 minutes walk in another direction) is being closed for now due to vaccine shortfall in April.

In meantime, when I try to book online, the nearest location is 18 miles away.

There is a "drop in" clinic running in a town 9 miles away. Only open for 2 hours. Judging by the franticness on MN to get jabs, the Qs will be miles long.

Funny part is.. I don't want the sodding jab, I'm only making any effort due to Covid passport coercion. So thanks to Universe for all the obstacles & disincentives. My liver will thank you Again if I'm banned from pubs. Meh.

RebeccaCloud9 · 25/03/2021 16:41

If you are booking online eg through Swiftqueue, the appointment options are updated all the time. When I was booking, every time I refreshed the page there were slots at different venues popping up. If this is the case, keep trying every few mins.

Original poster
Cobb121 · 01/04/2021 17:59

@RebeccaCloud9

If you are booking online eg through Swiftqueue, the appointment options are updated all the time. When I was booking, every time I refreshed the page there were slots at different venues popping up. If this is the case, keep trying every few mins.
I’m trying to book through the government website. Is that swift queue?

I don’t live rural there’s a vaccination site literally 3 miles away so I don’t know why that hasn’t been given to me as an option.

I’m trying to get hold of my gp but its like trying to get hold of the queen 😩😂

OP posts:
VictoriaBun · 01/04/2021 18:01

My vaccination hub is 70 miles away.
I waited to hear from the Dr and had to go about 1.5 miles.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 01/04/2021 18:01

If you wait for a few days your surgery should also contact you. And you'll also get a letter offering you a choice of contacts.

A little more patience, hopefully, is all you need. Fingers crossed 😊

bruffin · 01/04/2021 18:07

The vaccine centre my dd works at is only doing 2nd doses and has been since shecsyarted working there in January.
My dh who got invited through gp went to the centre in town 10 minutes walk away, i had to book through website and had to go 5 miles away into London

Scarby9 · 01/04/2021 18:08

If you would rather wait, there will be a closer option.
18 miles sounds close to me, as I went over 40 miles, but I could go by car and I couldn't wait.

CosmicComfort · 01/04/2021 18:09

There are central vaccine hubs which you book through the NHS website and GP hubs which book people themselves through telephone or text.

In my experience from work, people get the invite to book at a hub usually before the GP surgery gets round to them.

So if you want to go to your local GP hub, you could try calling the surgery but like someone else said, there might be a long message telling you not to. For one of my patients though, the message included a telephone number to book a GP hub appointment so worth a try.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 01/04/2021 18:32

I took DH to the vaccination hub which was 18 miles away. Nearest one to us. Happy to get the vaccine TBH.

Cornettoninja · 01/04/2021 18:47

I had this issue when I was trying to book my dads. He lives in a city but online I was only being offered centres on the other side of the city and we’re 100+ miles away so couldn’t get him there. I rang 119 who looked and advised the same as rebeccacloud but also that they couldn’t access the GP led hubs.

We kept checking the sites for a couple of weeks and then his GP surgery was authorised to do it at their surgery so he had it there.

It can be really hard to actually speak to someone about it but do try 119, they’re very helpful.

RingtheBells · 01/04/2021 19:22

I had a 2 week wait for an an appointment at a hub about 20 miles away, so did DH, in the interim DH had an invite from the GP so used that, I never did hear from the GP so we both went to the vaccine hub for my jab and made a bit more of an outing of it and went to the local to the hub, large garden centre afterwards, if it was fine to go that far for the jab it was also fine to visit the garden centre. No idea what I would have done if we didn't drive., I would probably still be waiting for a GP invite, we were both group 7, over 60 cohort.

JazzleRazzle · 01/04/2021 19:31

We’re rural and didn’t think twice about travelling 20 miles to a centre this week. I think you take what you are given, vaccine supplies are declining if you say no to this one as you don’t want to travel you may have to wait a long while to get it.

HeddaGarbled · 01/04/2021 19:38

I got my letter and went on the government website. The only available appointments weren’t even in my county, so I didn’t book. Next day, I went on the website again and there were several other options nearer, so I booked the easiest for me to get to. The next day, I got a text from my GP inviting me to book at a choice of two local GP surgeries.

So, my advice is keep checking the website and/or wait for an invitation from your GP.

ColourfulElmerElephant · 01/04/2021 19:40

If you don’t mind waiting, you’ll be able to go to a closer one at some point. It’ll come down to how much of a priority getting the vaccine now is.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 01/04/2021 19:43

I volunteer at our GP hub. It's 12 miles away from.the Surgery and for some patients it would be 18+ miles away. We have volunteer drivers who take people without transport to get their vaccine. Is that an option for you?

Rainbowqueeen · 01/04/2021 19:43

I’d try 119 and see what they advise.

Pushkinia · 01/04/2021 19:44

I spent 3 days on the National site, constantly refreshing the page before managing to get an appointment 24 miles away - no public transport and I don't drive but I was lucky enough to have a good friend offer to drive me. There were no appointments anywhere in the area, not even the big vaccine centre in Newcastle, 12 miles away. A member of my family had to travel 50 miles for his, it was literally the only appointment he could get.

ifonly4 · 01/04/2021 20:02

Appreciate you've got other considerations, but when I found out I could have a vaccination 12 miles away at 8.30am, (after a late shift the night before) I was there. One way or the other you'll get your vaccine, so depends if you want it desperately now and there's away around complications. Hopefully others above have helped you make that decision.

ekidmxcl · 01/04/2021 20:11

I would just take it. Although it will be a giant pain in the ass, you’ll get vaccinated.

Slayduggee · 02/04/2021 12:50

How old is your child? I think Pfizer is licensed for 16 and over whereas AZ is for 18 and over. Therefore if your child is 16/17 it may be where the Pfizer supplies are?

WombatChocolate · 02/04/2021 14:15

The choice is yours.....get done sooner by travelling, or wait longer for local.

The mass centres can get through loads of people, but clearly they can’t be local to everyone. If you don’t book using the national system then eventually your details will reach GP as someone who didn’t book and they will invite you locally. Often that takes another 2 weeks.

Personally, I’d arrange to make the journey. There are voluntary services or the NHS can help with transport. I’d prioritise being done sooner. It’s important for you and your vulnerable child, and if you’re done sooner the whole system moves sooner.

In the end though, you can wait if you choose.

WombatChocolate · 02/04/2021 14:17

I know people who were prepared to travel 80 miles for a jab and take their parent that far for the jab..that’s how much they wanted it. I also know people who wouldn’t go the 10 miles in their car or on 1 bus to have it but waited a further month to get jabbed. 1 person caught the virus in that time and was very ill.

Clearly some people just cannot travel and ar ehousebound etc. Others could travel if they were determined and felt it was their top priority. It depends how you see it and see it within the other features if your life.

Local vaccine will be available to all eventually, but it’s available sooner if you will travel. Your choice.