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Original poster

Which areas are booking vaccines for over 40s?

237 replies

WombatChocolate · 25/03/2021 17:17

Hi.
Am hearing that some over 40s are getting invited to book vaccines now.

If you have been invited, would you mind saying where you are please (don’t be precise if you don’t want to) and if you’ve been invited to book via local booking system that gives you appointments at the local centres, or via the national booking system to the mass centres/pharmacies.

My DH and I are late 40s and just so confused about what is going on. We were deflated by the news last week about the delays, but lots of people, still seem to be invited, it we can’t work out if it’s in our area and if locally led based on GP surgeries inviting or the national system letting some younger people book.

Hoping there are lots of you out there getting invited and it will be our turn soon too. Thanks.

OP posts:
Dreamingofbeergardens · 28/03/2021 14:06

@Twiglets1 I've heard of a few schools where spare vaccines have been given to school staff. To me it makes sense to give it to all ages if you're going to do that. As you say, all staff are in close proximity with a lot of people.
At our school in North London, all the staff in the first nine groups are done and some staff in their 40s have been vaccinated this week. Some of the parents in their 40s have too. It makes it safer for everyone, including unvaccinated younger staff and parents, so I'm happy. Smile

Twiglets1 · 28/03/2021 14:14

@Dreamingofbeergardens actually they changed the original offer in our school. Originally it was open to all staff to get vaccinated but it then changed to the 36 and overs only due to there being a shortage at our local big vaccination centre so some went there instead.

Dreamingofbeergardens · 28/03/2021 14:30

@Twiglets1 that makes sense then, hopefully it won't be long before the other staff get their vaccines. Although from this thread it seems to vary so much depending on your area. My teacher friend in Wiltshire says that only one member of staff, in their 50s, has had it at their school.

Fairyflaps · 28/03/2021 14:49

48 yr old cousin (no underlying conditions) in Oxford was invited for theirs just over a week ago.

The next county across, in Gloucestershire, I'm still waiting for the invite from my GP surgery. I'm 50, asthmatic, waiting (long wait) for respiratory consultant referral to confirm probable diagnosis of other chronic respiratory condition, and I was diagnosed with diabetes at the start of this month. I could book myself via the NHS website but all those centres require a journey on public transport, whereas the centre that the GP surgeries are using is in easy walking distance.

For the last 2 weeks I have seen friends my age getting their jab, having been invited by their GP surgeries. I have tried to ask my GP surgery (despite all the instructions everywhere not to contact them about vaccinations) and they say there is nothing they can do as it is all done by a central hub. I'm still hoping I'll get that text, but if not I'm going to have to bite the bullet and book via the NHS site within the next few days and hope I get a centre in the same county at least, so my bus journey isn't too long.

Original poster
WombatChocolate · 28/03/2021 14:56

Fairy flaps, I would just get on and book via the national system and take the first slot available rather than waiting for local. As you know, supply is dropping from next week and you might find you have to wait longer if you don’t get on with it.

Look how many people on these threads are just desperate to be able to book. They would travel a hundred miles to get their jab.

Far better to book and get done sooner than delaying in hope of local. It’s slowing it up for you and also others too because the system won’t move into the next age cohort until they feel enough in higher priority groups have been jabbed.

Lots of people have found the journey to a mass centre to be a bit of a pain, but surely this is an important thing and worth putting yourself out for to be done sooner. If more people booked as soon as they were eligible and took the early slots that were available to them, the whole system would move faster. Fair enough, some people just cannot travel (was case in very elderly cohorts or CEV) but the issue is lots of people just not booking who could travel but would rather not.

And again, look at all those just desperate to be allowed to go on that national booking site that will let you through! From next week more and. More 2nd doses are needed, so a smaller proportion will be first doses. Your be better to get on with it if you can see availability.

OP posts:
disdonc · 28/03/2021 14:57

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/28/key-uk-workers-given-secret-covid-jabs-to-avoid-wasting-vaccine

This article implies that GPs need to start inviting under-50s formally due to adequate supplies of vaccine but not being officially allowed to invite them.

Certainly where I live the GPs are sending last-minute text.
offering many last-minute appointments on the morning of the day itself for those under-50s who can make it that day.

disdonc · 28/03/2021 14:58

Fairy: is there a local volunteer service that could drive you rather than using public transport? At least that would reduce your exposure to risk by some amount.

Me33 · 28/03/2021 15:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at OP's request.

EasterIssland · 28/03/2021 15:05

@Me33

People in their 30’s southwest invited by Gp
My colleague was. He’s not even 30 I think. My dh hasn’t been called tho. We live 3miles away. But mh colleague lives in town where less elderly people lives so I guess they’re going down quicker than us
MaxRiemelt · 28/03/2021 15:07
  1. Vaccinated friday. East Sussex
Fairyflaps · 28/03/2021 15:10

@WombatChocolate I am giving it another day or 2 and then I will book via the NHS site if I have not heard from GPs.
I really don't want to go on public transport if I can avoid it as I am still convalescent from pneumonia earlier this year, and I feel vulnerable, even if I am not officially classified as such. I may be able to get a lift from a friend.
We have also been told that we have to get 2nd vaccinations from the same venue as the first, so that will be another journey on public transport or asking for favours - though I will have some protection by then. The blanket refusal of my GP surgery to even look into it is very frustrating.

Paddingtonthebear · 28/03/2021 15:10

We are 42 and 44 and had the vaccine end of last week in Dorset, also know some under 40’s in our area who had it this week too.

EasterIssland · 28/03/2021 15:12

@disdonc

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/28/key-uk-workers-given-secret-covid-jabs-to-avoid-wasting-vaccine

This article implies that GPs need to start inviting under-50s formally due to adequate supplies of vaccine but not being officially allowed to invite them.

Certainly where I live the GPs are sending last-minute text.
offering many last-minute appointments on the morning of the day itself for those under-50s who can make it that day.

Really interesting. I’m doing volunteering , having done the latest shift one of the days I asked them whether they had spares that were going to get wasted. They told me first no way all used but then they came and told me they had 5 left and were still waiting for 3 people to turn up so def I could have one if I wanted
dcb2 · 28/03/2021 15:12

[quote Fairyflaps]@WombatChocolate I am giving it another day or 2 and then I will book via the NHS site if I have not heard from GPs.
I really don't want to go on public transport if I can avoid it as I am still convalescent from pneumonia earlier this year, and I feel vulnerable, even if I am not officially classified as such. I may be able to get a lift from a friend.
We have also been told that we have to get 2nd vaccinations from the same venue as the first, so that will be another journey on public transport or asking for favours - though I will have some protection by then. The blanket refusal of my GP surgery to even look into it is very frustrating.[/quote]
If it's of any help, once we'd had our first vaccinations, my husband and I were able to log onto the national booking website and book any of the local pharmacies and centres for the second vaccination.

PandemicPalava · 28/03/2021 15:13

Bedfordshire, DP 45 got his text yesterday and is booked in for Tuesday

Original poster
WombatChocolate · 28/03/2021 15:17

Hope you find a friend to give you a lift, or as others say, lots of voluntary services are happily giving people lifts.

Do you realise you can book on the national system now and that if the GP service then contacts you before the appointment happens, you can cancel it and take a local one? A number of people report that they booked at a mass centre but before they went got contacted by GP service. Some stuck with their original booking because it was sooner and they were keen to be done. A few found the GP offered a sooner slot anyway and changed.

You can’t really lose out from booking on the national system if you’re eligible. The longer you leave it to do so, the further away the dates are likely to be.

Good luck. I hope you get done soon.

OP posts:
ShinyMe · 28/03/2021 15:33

I had mine today - 48 and in Derbyshire, got the text on Friday lunchtime inviting me for today. A colleague's mum works in the management of that centre, and she says they get batches on monday which expire on Sunday, and if the 50+s they've invited that week haven't booked by Thursday, they start inviting the next group down - so 48s and 49s in our town apparently.

Monkeytapper · 28/03/2021 15:36

Leeds,I’m 42 and had mine today

Paddingtonthebear · 28/03/2021 16:44

I’m not convinced about the demographic theory. We live in a south coast area with a high proportion of retired/elderly people and everyone I know 40yrs upwards has had first vaccine in the last week or two.

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 28/03/2021 16:47

I had mine ages ago because of a health condition but loads of my friends in their mid 40s have had it this weekend. East Midlands.

poppycat10 · 28/03/2021 17:33

@Paddingtonthebear

I’m not convinced about the demographic theory. We live in a south coast area with a high proportion of retired/elderly people and everyone I know 40yrs upwards has had first vaccine in the last week or two.
No it's about how efficient the GPs were. My area started a month after my mum's area did so obviously they are a month behind.
Mn753 · 28/03/2021 17:42

This is so lovely to read, am seeing a few friends in the Midlands having theirs too. Everyone done makes us all safer

Londonmummy66 · 28/03/2021 18:15

I volunteer at a centre in a pharmacy. Vaccinators confer at about 6.45 as to whether they need to open a new vial to cover the remaining booked in patients between them. If they do then any spare doses - usually between 3 and 6 can go to anyone who turns up. Sometimes we have a queue outside and sometimes we are giving it to the first x many people who phone to ask once the nurses have decided how many jabs are going spare.

justasyouare · 29/03/2021 17:17

We are in south Essex, DH got his appointment at the end of last week and I got mine today, both booked for this week.
Both early 40s , same surgery and a couple of months apart in age.
Next town along is still on over 50s. Next town the other side seems to be on late 30s.
My surgery told me that they have 2000 vaccines coming in the next fortnight, although I don’t know how many of these are second doses.
We live in a small town with a very elderly population.

HamCob · 29/03/2021 22:14

I'm 40 and had my text inviting me to book this morning as did all of my 40+ friends. I'd had my jab by 1pm!
This was for one of the large vaccine hubs in the east mids.
I was really surprised to be honest but then they've been flying through them here since the off.