Waiting to be called for vaccine vs booking online now - time lag?

[FreeFallingFree]

I realise this may come down to unknowns like how lumpy vaccine supply is and the demographics of the area, but I have relatives who are eligible to book their vaccine online but who want to wait until they get a letter inviting them to a local venue as opposed to travelling to a hub. Does anyone have any idea about how much longer they might have to wait vs booking online now? Other people in the area who have booked today are being jabbed later this week.

I'm trying to figure out if they are adding days, weeks or longer onto their wait time. They have underlying health conditions which makes me think that if it's the latter it might be worth them travelling the extra distance.

Remember the gp hub might not be at your surgery, mine is (they have land so a marquee has been put up, all the other gps send their patients here) but my parents had to go to the tennis club 26 miles away through heavy traffic so wish they had used the hub which whilst technically further is less traffic

There may be a pharmacy closer than the sites they are thinking of. Assuming you are based in England, NHS England does a map of all the sites so you can have a look: www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/publication/vaccination-sites/

Availability will definitely vary a lot over the next few weeks, I would take what appointments you can get.

The nearest place for me on the NHS booking form is 32 miles away along a notoriously accident prone dual carriageway and the motorway.

In normal circumstances I wouldn't be thrilled with the drive but would do it, but I don't think it's safe to drive back from the vaccine appointment alone (particularly on those roads) so DH has to come with me and we both would need to take time off from work.

As I'm wfh, female, not obese and white, I'm going to wait until there's something a bit closer to home. There's a vaccine hub less than 5 miles away which is clearly full at the moment but I'm not fussed about a couple of weeks' delay and would rather that have an hour plus motorway drive each way for 2 appointments.

Anyone know if you book via national booking system (appointment in 2 weeks) you can still book via GP link if appointment becomes available sooner? All appointments via GP link seem to have been snapped up despite frequent checking.

@Bayleaf25. When I booked my jab at a main centre I didn't get sent a link for the local GP hub even though they had a clinic and were doing my age group prior to me getting my jab. I think they must be able to see from your NHS number that you have already booked one.

The government announced that all 1-9 had been offered a vaccine. That means they asked all GPs to confirm they had called all their patients at least once. It’s usually 3 times.

It’s unlikely they will get a letter from their GP. They will phone or message.

If their GP service has not called they don’t have your parents on a call list.

Why don’t they use a pharmacy which are on the booking system.

@bigbluebus thanks. DH has had link from GP but we are typically away for 3 days and the dates were only on one day and no more slots seem to be opening up at the moment. Typical after waiting all this time and appointment finally comes up when we aren’t at home.

As Expo, who is a GP says upthread, her GP led service running one clinic for 1st doses over the next 2 weeks and the rest are for 2nd doses.

Dont forget that supply is still limited at the moment. For most people, it really will be a case of booking on the national system (and checking over next few days to see if appointments that allow you to book and can work for you) come up, or probably waiting a couple of weeks. Of course, there are places where GPs are making contact and offering GP led more local services, although as said it’s often several GPs in a local area offering it from one location and it’s not always close.

It also seems that where GPs have got some supply they have already made or will make the contact today. That’s because it’s limited and they need to use it up. I really wouldn’t expect people to be hearing from GP led services next week for example. Those who don’t book on the national system, will be picked up by GPs later if they don’t book and GO has their details...but I’d expect it to be after the next round of deliveries to GPs which aren’t expected until week of 26 April. Even then, most will be for 2nd doses.

So things aren’t quite as they were back in Feb and March. As has been said, the expectation is far more that 45+ go to national services. That’s driven by lack of supply meaning fewer clinics can run and it’s more efficient to run large ones, plus the fact this age group can mostly travel. They might not all like it and it might not be their top preference, but they can make it happen, given appointments are available 7 days a week, and as mentioned voluntary services to take people are still very much running. There is a choice and it’s really not impossible, if not too preference for most people.

Again, it’s very much a certain bird in the hand situation, vs a very uncertain bird in the bush. It’s why so many on MN went on the booking site on Monday night and took the very first appointment Trent they could see on Tuesday morning and are now jabbed. They have been following for weeks and can see how supply is variable and even with this rollout, things for those looking for 1st jabs are not the same as they were for 70s etc a few weeks ago, supply is lower and GP led services less heavily involved in 1st jabs at the moment.

@Bayleaf25

Anyone know if you book via national booking system (appointment in 2 weeks) you can still book via GP link if appointment becomes available sooner? All appointments via GP link seem to have been snapped up despite frequent checking.

I got a text from GP the morning after I booked on the national system. I could have had a mile closer and a day earlier with GP, but that wasn't enough to bother changing it. I could have booked through GP and cancelled national one if I'd wanted though.

I was surprised that appointments at our little community hall were available on the national system - was expecting to have to go a lot further.

DP (early 40’s) had his a few weeks ago. When group 6 became eligible he asked at his GP practice and was told they were working through all of group 6 and couldn’t give him any idea when he’d be called so he booked through the online system, appointment for the following week at a big hub 10 miles away. The day before his appointment he got a text from his GP. So it was a week between booking his appointment and receiving an invite from his GP but we have no idea when the appointment with the GP would actually have been.

Our GP surgery is only doing second vaccinations at present, with the odd first vaccine to use up spares. Dh had a spare a week or so ago one afternoon. He'd have been eligible to use the national site yesterday. I'm group 6 so had mine at the end of February at the local site. At the time I wasn't able to use the national site.

Our big national hub is the other side of town or there is another in the next town - both similar time to get there. Probably 30-45 minutes away traffic dependent, sometimes quicker. Our local hub is about 3 miles away.

We were both happy to use either. We just went with the soonest option.

When doing the over 70s a few of MIL's friends were waiting for the Gp surgery. They could book via the national site and receive a vaccination within a week. Some waited almost a month after for the Gp surgery. They didn't realise they could just book themselves in. Those that did it were done much sooner.

Friends who are in the 45-49y group are almost all booking via the national site as they just want to get the vaccine sooner.

Things are different now for 1st jabs to a few weeks ago.

A few weeks ago both the national system and GP led services had good supply for 1st jabs.

Now supply is more limited. What GPs have is very largely for 2nd doses and very few if any 1st jab clinics being offered in the foreseeable. The supply for 1st jabs (and even that is less than before) is with the national booking site places.

Where GPs have limited supply for 1st doses, they have largely sent out the invitations already or will do today. If you haven’t had one by tomorrow, you’re unlikely to get it for the next 10 days or so soonest I’d think.

People are relying on what happened in the last phase, but forgetting 2nd jabs are being offered and taking the bulk of supply whilst it’s limited, and GPs are just not heavily involved in 1st jabs at the moment.

People should also take account of many GP hubs now moving over to the national booking system.

It’s not all of them, but some are gradually defaulting to this option.

Again the government announced all 1-9 had been offered. They check this with every GP service before announcing it. If you haven’t been called you have somehow fallen off the list or they have the wrong details for you. Either book nbs or call your GP.

where we are
book online, get date in 2-3 weeks time, about 30-40 minutes drivre away.
wait to get a phone call from GP - get a call about 10 days after you could book online, but get a vaccine date within 3 days, within 3 miles.

So in fact you get vaccinated earlier.

Ok, thanks all. To clarify, this isn't about elderly parents. It's a couple in their 40s who have a car and are IT literate so whatever the barriers are, it's not a lack of transport or concern about using the internet.

There is actually a pharmacy half a mile from their house, closer than their drs surgery in fact, which is giving vaccinations, but they haven't logged onto the national booking system to see if it's available to book. They just say, they've looked on their drs website that doesn't say anything about over 45s and so they will wait to be contacted. I don't know, maybe they don't want the vaccine and the travel distance is a red herring. Avoidance is quite a common tactic for both of them...

It's one of those situations where behaviour which is normalized within a family situation is suddenly thrown into relief. I have friends and colleagues in their 40s and my phone was buzzing from 6am yesterday with people either saying the website was open and they had been able to book, or that it wasn't their age group yet but they couldn't wait until they were eligible. And then relatives' response which was they hadn't booked, weren't going to look to see what was available on the national system and would wait to be contacted. The difference was quite marked.

I think I will wait until the weekend. By that stage it seems as though if their Dr hasn't contacted them, their surgery is unlikely to have any first doses for the next few weeks, and other people I know in their area who booked yesterday will have had their first dose. Possibly realising they are 'missing out' might galvanise them to at least look on the booking system.

It will vary by GP. In our area (rural and full of elderly) GP is doing all second vaccines of groups 1 to 9 which is most of the population here before seeing anyone from group 10. The GP is also not at the local surgery other than in exceptional circumstances like 90 and no transport and the rest via GP are 20 mins drive away.

The national system was crashing a lot yesterday (better now) but after 100 or so attempts I managed to get one an hour away in one direction for 30 April and an hour in another direction for second dose. Nothing at all in our county. Don't know if our county hasn't been added or all taken but trying all yesterday and not a single one. Whereas all the neighbouring counties had things and some have higher proportion of elderly.

Our GPs website says their policy so they could check that. It could be they feel safe from covid staying home and aren't in a rush and if they are largely home can't see there's a massive risk. I'm a similar category and looked up my risk and it was 1 in 33,000 of dying and 1 in 1,400 of hospitalisation even with 2 medical conditions. It rises massively with age - when I changed my age to 85 my risk of dying was 1 in 212 if in a nursing home and 1 in 700 if not. It could well be they are very anxious about it, think that's not uncommon but often hidden as its people who stay home a lot and people don't say publicly for fear of being mocked / bullied. Some people feel safe with what they know, my 80 something MIL wanted her GP only.

Do they drive places? I know some 40 somethings who have a car but will only drive very locally. I don't drive but my DH does but does mean he has to take 2 half days leave from work. Some employers can be funny about taking leave for medical appointments as well, generally low paid, if that applies. Quite a few would make it unpaid leave if money is an issue.

There's all kind of fears it could be or it could be they just want someone they know and trust or not in a rush. If they are always together it could be having to go in alone though they may get lucky and get a double booking. If you know their details you can see what is available - maybe a close local pharmacy might work if there is an option like that as small.

If one of them doesn't want to go outside, then maybe stress the importance of at least one of them being vaccinated.

Half the household is then vaccinated and less likely to transmit the virus.

DH and I have a GP led vaccination centre 5 minutes walk away and a mass vaccine centre a 15 minute drive away.

We managed to access the NHS central booking a day or two before the front page altered to our age groups (by diligently following the thread on Mumsnet). DH was allowed in before me (gp 6) so we couldn't book together.

About an hour after I'd chased down my appointments our GP's system texted us. Their next free appointments were about 10 days earlier so we cancelled the NHS mass vaccine ones. I had a letter inviting me to book about a week later (DH didn't get one).

It took me 20 minutes away from home to get my first jab, though friends using other GPs had to go a lot further so I am glad I rescheduled.

We could only book our first jab, but we decided that we would rather get partial immunity earlier and take the risk that our next jab might be delayed.

There is no harm in booking then cancelling/switching as the free appointments are displayed in real time. You can do it all online without using a call centre.

Just booked online for a local hub you can have a look and just not book.
No need to make it more complicated than it should be.

Our GP is sending people to a big vaccination centre at a football stadium on the other side of our local town. Going through the NHS website gives the option of a pharmacy in the town centre which is more convenient for some.

My only direct invite was a letter with online booking instructions which was same as I could find for myself days earlier. There were at the time 2 hubs 15 minute walk from my home but nearest online-booking option was 18 miles away. Then they announced a walk-in centre (now closed due to no users) that was mere 9 miles cycle ride away.

DH has deliberately booked a vacc centre that is 50 miles cycle ride away (he will cycle). Actual closest = 18 miles away.

[quote bigbluebus]@Bayleaf25. When I booked my jab at a main centre I didn't get sent a link for the local GP hub even though they had a clinic and were doing my age group prior to me getting my jab. I think they must be able to see from your NHS number that you have already booked one.[/quote]
I think it depends. DH booked via the NHS website, and missed the texts from the GP for a few days - they sent a couple of reminders before he noticed the texts (he'd just got a new phone and for some reason the text notifications were switched off!) so they didn't know he'd booked elsewhere until he told them.

I got my text to invite me five days after my first jab and the letter a week later.
Had two centres closer to me than my Gp who are doing at one hub practice.
I also liked the fact that i could book both on the same form several friends have got to 11 weeks with nothing and then had little choice.

A bit OT but I'm confused by 1st and 2nd dose clinics and supplies. The vaccines are the exactly same.