Going to vaccination appointment with partner

[Hobnob39]

My DH & I (40-49 category) have just found out our appointments for the vaccine - his is 2 weeks before mine and much more local. (We are in Scotland).
My DH is not good in hospitals/with needles and it's quite likely he could faint or at least be a bit wobbly about all of it so I will drive him to his appointment. What I was wondering is if anyone else has been in this situation where they are transporting their partner have they gone in to the building with them? Is it acceptable to do so? Total disclosure - I am hoping that by being there that they might just give me my vaccine at the same time (only if there are spares obv) but that's not the only reason, he genuinely struggles with being a complete wuss about anything medical!
Just wondering the consensus on this? Thanks!

No problem driving him but wait in the car. They don’t need extra people in the way as it delays other people entering the building. He will have to wait for 15 minutes after the vaccine anyway so will be watched over by someone.

You should try and encourage your partner to go on his own if he possibly can, because an extra person in the building increases the number of people and the risks of Covid transmission etc.

If he's a bit wobbly afterwards then the staff are perfectly equipped and trained to look after him there.

This. C'mon, he's a big boy. Over the last year people have been having all sorts of medical procedures, including major surgery without visitors to minimise the risk of spreading covid. If they can manage I'm sure your DH can.

Bloody hell are you children? Just go to your allocated appointments. You can wait in the car park for him if you're worried. They have enough on without people expecting special treatment.

[quote Hobnob39]@rainbowunicorn - If you haven't experience phobia of needles it's v easy to be dismissive. I see from other responses that some places are even set up for having someone accompany them. If I'm there with him (and all others had support too) I don't actually see how it would cause 'chaos' - in fact having ME deal with any faint etc rather than taking staff away from the important job of sticking needles in arms would surely help, not hinder.
That said, i worry about going in the building in the same way as I shop alone etc, to ensure as few people in one space as possible, hence my question.
Having the vaccine 2 weeks early would just be an added bonus, but I def don't expect it! [/quote]
Oh come on OP. If it really isn't about you jumping the queue and hoping to get done early why even mention it.

I have volunteered at one and yes many people had someone accompanying them. When I was there no one was offered a spare during the day but in the last 30 minutes or so before closing they counted up if there was going to be any spare - once the volunteers were offered and second time the local fire station - sadly I was not there either day!

@Cheekyweegobshite - see my last response. I totally accept what you are saying about having minimal people in building, hence why I am even questioning it. I don't think there is any need to be so true to your username though. Some people have genuine phobias.

I mentioned it @rainbowunicorn as I was being honest that it would be a side benefit if it was possible.

I’m a vaccinator. We allow a carer or support worker in when appropriate but not partners unless they also have an appointment at the same (or a similar) time.

We wouldn’t vaccinate you if you didn’t have an appointment that day. All vaccines are allocated.

We wouldn’t leave you to look after him alone if he fainted, so you wouldn’t be doing us any favours really. We have a professional responsibility towards our patients, we’re not going to leave them fainted/collapsed/having a panic attack alone in the care of their partner!

Take him, wait in the car and get yours done in 2 weeks.

My DH took me as I don't do well with needles and wouldn't risk driving. Didn't even attempt to take him in though so can't help with that. But the staff were brilliant at dealing with me, can't fault them on how kind and helpful they were and they've obviously dealt with a lot of others similar and have a well practised system!

If you accept it then why question it?

I guess they are used to people fainting. Dd had to go into school during lockdown for her HPV jab and a girl fainted. No parents allowed in.

At our centre they give you a bit of paper with a time on it and you sit and wait for 15 minutes. They check the time on your way out in case you sneak out early.

Obvioulsy I know that all the centres are different but I went to a mass vaccination centre and it said only carers could enter with the person having the vaccine and it was so computer controlled I can't see that they could have added a random person who hadn't booked for that day.

Plus is was so busy that if everyone had taken a baby sitter it would have been covid unsafe chaos

@chocolatesaltyballs22 I am not expecting special treatment. I shouldn't have been so honest about the possibility of a side benefit, as clearly you are concentrating on this.
From the variety of responses it seems most places would be ok with me being in there with him. That's my main question. I will work out with my DH whether we feel i need to come inside or not. As I said, my appointment is 2 weeks later, which as someone noted is no time at all, so I'm not actually bothered about 'jumping the queue' but if I'm driving him there anyway and then don't have to drive myself much further in 2 weeks then that would be great. I guess my thinking was that if they WOULD vaccinate me at the same time, then I'd feel silly to have sat in the car when I could kill 2 birds with one stone.

@LlamaofDrama thanks - that's reassuring!

We're in Scotland, vaccinated at GP practice. They called in all couples together (same appointment, jabbed side by side).

I work at a vaccination centre. We only let carers in where absolutely necessary - just because someone might faint isn't a good enough reason. We have had people faint - we get a message to their partner in the car but the staff are more than capable of dealing with it. An extra (unvaccinated) body just increases everyone's risk factor.
Re the extra vaccine - that partly depends on which vaccine it is - if it's Pfizer then the exact number of doses available to appointments will be allocated. It is possible they may have had a 'no show' earlier in the day and might be looking for someone to allocate that to - in which case if your partner asks on your behalf he may be able to call you in to get yours. A surprising number of people do ask - some are lucky, some not. However if it's any of the other vaccines the the urgency to use spares is not the same so depending on who is running the clinic they might just refuse all requests.

@Hobnob39

No one here knows. Every vaccination place is doing this differently.

Anecdotally friends who got taken there by their partners were allowed in - one's husband struggles with his hearing, one has a needle phobia and another friend wasn't allowed to take her husband in, but they were very kind to her.

IMO go with him as far as they'll allow & explain his needle phobia etc see how it goes.

Oh & another friends husband drove her to a huge sports stadium & waited in the queue with her. He was asked if he was there fir his too, he says no he'd be back next week for his and they said that was a bit pointless so they'd do him too.

I find it really interesting the variety of responses here - clearly from this some places are doing partners at the same time, so it wasn't a completely stupid question despite some of the v dismissive responses. 
@Girlmama3 - I have wondered about this actually and it's def a consideration as we have small kids...

Erm OP you're conveniently ignoring all of the responses from people, including those working in vaccination centres, saying they only let carers in with those being vaccinated. I don't think he needs a carer does he? And clearly you are looking for special treatment.

I'm a bit flabbergasted that grown adults in their 40's can't manage to go for a jab by themselves tbh.

A friend took her father to his appointment and she was offered a vaccine at the same time (she's not his carer). Most likely it was just fortunate timing and they had spares available at that time, though, rather than the norm.

My friend had to leave her ten year old DD outside (DH working away and no family in this country), so you do need to check. They are really good, I was asked if I had any concerns/needle phobic/likely to feel faint.

@chocolatesaltyballs22 I am not ignoring them at all. There appear to be different rules at different centres. I acknowledge that at the centre he will be going to that I might not be allowed. I have found it reassuring to know that others who have phobia have been dealt with well by staff. I am grateful for the info from those who work at the centres. I'm not so grateful for people being totally condescending.
As I have said repeatedly I am not expecting special treatment.

I took my DH with me as I was very anxious and he was allowed in - I phoned 119 to check first and then said normally it would be allowed if explain but to ask first. If you also ask about getting vaccinated though suspect it would be a no, they may suspect its then not for anxiety but to get vaccinated early and they only vaccinate for booked appointments.

Working in a vacc centre - you absolutely can bring someone in with you. I can't begin to tell you the amount of people who are needle phobic, or just anxious about being out, being around lots of people, being in a medical setting.

We ask that you stay together as you move through the hub, if two people have an appt they will be vaccinated together in the same pod. It is HIGHLY unlikely that you will be vaccinated at the same time. There are no 'spares' as we count how many need to be drawn up as we go along.

Despite the rumours 'spares' at the end of the night don't really exist, the vaccine keeps in normal fridge conditions for the next clinic. It's only vaccine in an actual needle that would be wasted but the pharmacy lead checks, and double checks, people left to be vaccinated and each syringe is drawn up per patient at the end of the clinic. So 3 people in queue,3 drawn up. One more person comes through the door WITH an appt, 1 more syringe is prepared.
no leftovers, no 'spares' no waste.