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45-49s jabs news, 40-44s watching and waiting thread

999 replies

MRex · 14/04/2021 15:54

Follow-on to the happy thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4210673-Can-the-40-49-age-group-now-book-their-vaccine.

(I'm jabbed, but just here to read happy news of jabs and try to book DH when it's his time.)

OP posts:
WombatChocolate · 20/04/2021 19:28

The period of time when local centres (GPs and pharmacies) were told there would be no deliveries for 1st does was weeks of 12 and 19 April.

Haven’t heard anything yet about next week. NHS England usually tells GPs and other licensed centres about the weeks ahead and anything major changing on Wednesday and the communications are published on their website on Thursday. This happens most weeks. There might be info about supply next week then.

Comefromaway · 20/04/2021 19:42

No first doses are being done near me by the GPs & pharmacies but lots at the hubs.

WombatChocolate · 20/04/2021 19:53

Yes, seemed the new deliveries for 1st jabs were going to sites used by national booking centre.

Some people seemed to be waiting and hoping for more local jabs rather than booking on the national site and possibly travelling a bit, but that might mean waiting a while, with this lack of supply for 1st doses to GPs etc. Clearly some have some (perhaps left over form 10 days ago) as some people are still reporting getting called, it as you say, most seem to be happening at the larger sites which aren’t GP led.

nordica · 20/04/2021 20:00

It's a shame in a way if that is the case because it feels like those who are most vulnerable may be less able to travel further for a bigger centre - for example if you work from home and have a car, it's of course much easier to go out during the day somewhere an hour away. If you work in a factory and rely on buses then not so much...

Hopefully the supply issues improve after this week, though.

RedToothBrush · 20/04/2021 20:09

I think its unlikely the second Indian batch of 5million is going to turn up anytime soon.

That was the thing that really allowed us to motor ahead in March.

Getting batching that big is going to still be hard for a while yet.

WombatChocolate · 20/04/2021 20:16

Most people booking now shouldn’t be really vulnerable and they should be of an age to be able to book. But you’re right, some will find the idea of travelling a few miles is a bit daunting and will delay. Waiting for a GP appointment (and GPs always scoop up those from each age group who haven’t booked after a certain period or when they have supply) could mean just a day or two of delay or 2 or more weeks... but everyone does get the local offer if they haven’t already been jabbed.

It’s always been the case since jabs have been delivered at scale, that very large numbers have been given at national centres and that’s the most efficient way to do a fast rollout. Those who are really keen take the first jabs available, wherever they are within reason. Because those large centres cannot be close to where everyone lives and because GPs cannot deliver the full programme (this is on top of everything they already do that has stretched them to breaking point) it simply is that although the local offer will come to everyone, many people have to wait a bit longer if that is a priority for them rather than having the jab as soon as they possibly can.

I think it’s pretty amazing that we can run a dual system and have got these mass centres running that can jabs thousands and enable such vast and speedy rollout, whilst also ensuring everyone at some point will get the local call if they can’t or won’t travel. In fact, the local offer also then involves often having local drop in centres, buses that go into areas of housing with low uptake and even home visits. It can be extremely targeted... but that all takes time. Following up those who don’t book uses time and resources and means people aren’t jabbed as quickly as they might be. The government knows how people work and that some are watching the national booking site and will book instantly they can (like all those people in MN last Monday night before the front page was even updated) and others will books a couple of days later and others not until they get a letter or until they get a local invite, or some until they have been called 3-4 times. Behaviouralists are involved in designing the rollout and ensuring as many people can be reached as possible.

Motorina · 20/04/2021 20:38

A colleague of mine is a GP, who was running a GP vaccine site for the first phase.

She (and she says many of her colleagues) aren't signing up to do phase two. There's two reasons for that - firstly they no longer feel an altruistic duty to give up evenings and weekends on top of an already very busy working week, given that there's so many hubs available now. Secondly, there are so many hubs available now that many people are cancelling appointments short notice, which is making it very difficult to run their clinics efficiently.

If that's a pattern it will mean that those waiting to book via the GP service may be disappointed. And the lack of first jabs being done by GP services may not actually be related to vaccine supply.

WombatChocolate · 20/04/2021 21:41

Motorina, that’s interesting.

I wonder what that will mean...for some people will it mean they can only book on the national booking site and get a mass centre or pharmacy? I have seen some local GP services such as drop-ins or vaccine buses be available to all local people and not just those registered with a particular GP.

I suppose, as we go down the ages, people really can generally travel and that isn’t such a barrier - that said, a vaccinator on another thread reported doing jabs for over 80s and 75+ in the early days when there weren’t loads of centres and said pretty much everyone booked and they all managed to get there even in December. So actually the travel thing is often not really about just travel but often the priority people give the jab. If there are less lcoal GP led services I think take up will be lower as some people just won’t be bothered enough to travel or to overcome the obstacles that some of them do face to getting to the mass centres.

The thing is, jabbing sounds like it’s going to be an lost continual thing for a good while. If boosters need to be given, GPs will want to be very careful about what they commit to...because they have to prioritise their use of time and resources. Bigger hubs are more efficient and can be focused solely on that task and perhaps a dual system of GPs everywhere and mass sites via a national booking system is a luxury we cannot have into the long term future. I think the system will continue to evolve as we move down the ages and adapt it. It’s right for it to evolve and not remain static because of the way it started off. It’s a mammoth logistical exercise and fascinating how it’s all run and supplies procured and transported and allocated.

Tomnooktoldmeto · 20/04/2021 21:50

I’ve just had a phone call today to book both my cv teens in to a 16-18 clinic being run at our hub this weekend (midlands)

Hopefully it indicates that supplies are coming in again to start doing first vaccinations

Tealightsandd · 20/04/2021 21:58

@nordica

BBC London news just had a story about vaccination supply (AZ). Pharmacies getting only a third of the amount they were getting a few weeks ago and only able to do 2nd doses, not 1st appointments for the over 45s. 😕
The one place arguably more in need than anywhere else due to Heathrow airport is still getting less share than elsewhere?

Pretty appalling. You'd think after Sadiq Khan raised his concerns earlier this year about London's lower share, it would've been sorted.

London is extra vulnerable because of the high density population, with so many living in deprivation - and the key issue, Heathrow airport being the frontline of new strains.

1000s of people are coming back from India before Friday. They'll be mostly travelling from Heathrow on public transport...

wintertravel1980 · 20/04/2021 21:59

Larger hubs are also more efficient for Pfizer and Moderna and the number of first Pfizer doses has been slowly picking up.

Scotland (again!) breaks down their daily vaccination numbers by vaccine type:

public.tableau.com/profile/phs.covid.19#!/vizhome/COVID-19DailyDashboard_15960160643010/Overview

Pfizer first doses were at zero throughout March but they almost caught up with AZ in April.

I assume some England's regions with high vaccination uptake are in a similar position. Not London though which has still got enough unused AZ (from the 50+ groups). I am pretty sure I will get one of those doses tomorrow at my vaccination appointment.

And48 · 20/04/2021 22:03

I turned 40 today... silver lining is that I'm now in the next cohort as a result!

Tealightsandd · 20/04/2021 22:09

With the travel to get vaccinated.

I hope the disabled won't be (as they so often are) forgotten or ignored.

Lots of mobility limited or visually impaired disabled younger people have difficulty travelling.

It's also difficult for people on very low incomes. People on £74 jobseekers/UC or in a zero hours minimums wage job are struggling to afford the essentials. They're using food banks. The fare money for several buses or a train won't be easy.

It's not going to help with vaccine hesitancy if people can't easily access them.

I understand why GPs might want to stop. The main thing is we need to remember not everyone can easily travel (due to disability or financial or other reasons) - and make sure local pharmacies and drop in clinics are available.

Tealightsandd · 20/04/2021 22:10

@And48

I turned 40 today... silver lining is that I'm now in the next cohort as a result!
Happy Birthday 🎂 I hope you get a nice vaccine present soon.
user34254356 · 20/04/2021 22:21

Don't quite follow. @nordica referred to a BBC london news of AZ supply issues but @wintertravel1980 says London has surplus AZ supplies and sitting on a stock pile.

Aren't these two contradictory?

Tealightsandd · 20/04/2021 22:26

It all sounds a bit strange. If there is surplus, why aren't they using it? There's definitely demand. I've seen posters on here waiting and I personally know several early 40s in London desperate for a vaccine. One of them lives in a borough with the South African strain.

Unless it's needed for second doses?

wintertravel1980 · 20/04/2021 22:31

Aren't these two contradictory?

Not necessarily - these are two different perspectives from two different vaccination sites.

Nobody is getting the number of AZ vaccines they were expecting in April. The initial planned monthly delivery for the UK was 13.8 million doses (3.45mm per week). This was cut significantly - we received nothing during the first week, roughly 2.75mm during the second week and roughly 2.5mm this week.

However, some larger GP led vaccination centres (including mine) who are able to keep stock on site still have got unused AZ vaccine that was previously allocated to older groups. Last week GPs were finally "allowed" to reach out to people outside of the 45+ categories if they have got spare vaccines. My GP practice ended up inviting me and other patients in early 40s.

wintertravel1980 · 20/04/2021 22:33

It all sounds a bit strange. If there is surplus, why aren't they using it?

Some GP practices are more efficient than others. Ours is run extremely well. Many people try to stay there even when they move to a completely different borough.

user34254356 · 20/04/2021 22:34

@Tealightsandd

It all sounds a bit strange. If there is surplus, why aren't they using it? There's definitely demand. I've seen posters on here waiting and I personally know several early 40s in London desperate for a vaccine. One of them lives in a borough with the South African strain.

Unless it's needed for second doses?

I also know someone who was trying to move forward her AZ second dose appointment and got zero availability on the websites and so just had to stick to the earlier appointment she had booked.

Yes i don't think in Lambeth and Wandsworth many 40 plus have been vaccinated. Think the surgeries haven't opened up at all. The vaccination centre in one of these boroughs has been extremely quiet - doing second doses, which is a sharp contrast to the long queues outside last month.

hahaboink · 20/04/2021 23:09

I’m in London and just under 45 and just got a text from Guys hospital trust inviting me to book a vaccine.

Tealightsandd · 20/04/2021 23:18

That's good news hahaboink that you haven't been affected by the reported shortage in London. Hopefully the shortage is just a blip and the many early 40s waiting will be able to get theirs soon too. Fingers crossed.

Sloelydoesit · 21/04/2021 00:07

@hahaboink

I’m in London and just under 45 and just got a text from Guys hospital trust inviting me to book a vaccine.
Did you get a text message with an individual link that only required your postcode? I got the same. I have recently tried to talk to my GP about the vaccine because I once had a grim blood clot episode. I was expecting to have the vaccine locally - wondered whether I was sent to St Thomas' due to my query. In any case, I've booked in! First and second. I live in SE London - right before the Kent boundary. I'm 44
Mn753 · 21/04/2021 06:20

Dh 43 got text from GP yesterday, Midlands

WarriorN · 21/04/2021 06:39

A friend was texted by Gp last week, she's 40.

She's also Gateshead which I've been aware of being way ahead for some time.

They were doing late 40s 6-8 weeks ago.

no not jealous that she has it and works from home, no not at all....

WarriorN · 21/04/2021 06:41

@MRex

Under 2m to go at 250k/day would mean we should see 40-44 general booking opening next Monday or Tuesday night!!
Hoorah! I was thinking this too!