It’s always been the way that when the jab opens up to a new age group, demand in the first few days is extremely high and most people can only book appointments that are very immediate by travelling some distance. But usually within a week there are lots of closer appointments.
Doomsday, there has been lots of discussion about whether it would have been better to have a different rollout model...geographically based, occupationally based etc, instead of broadly age based. The verdict has been at each stage, that speed is the name of the game and speed and efficiency happen best with the simplest model which is age and which NHS records have information on. Trying to adjust part way through, away from an age model, to one based on specific locations, which would be mean diverting supply in what is a highly complicated logistics system, has been deemed to be likely to deliver less good outcomes, with downsides exceeding upsides if it, when looked at on a macro level. Instead, they stick with the simple system of age, but also are able to have extra fragmented interventions, such as extra jab supply for some areas which need it, or flexibility to offer to multi generational households all at once in areas where that could be useful, or to offer vaccine buses and drop ins in areas of lower uptake.
The difficulty has always been supply. It is looking better now, but there were 6 weeks when there wasn’t enough supply to deliver the necessary 2nd doses to time AND to do more than 100k 1st doses per day. But lots of reports suggest everyone might have been offered the 1st jab now by the end of jUne and not July. And the issue remains of getting people to actually be jabbed and not delay by weeks and weeks.
I actually think it has been very impressive and the system has been evolving all the time to reflect supply and the potential barriers to uptake in different areas. At each stage, GPs have been strongly encouraged to follow up those not jabbed and to be creative in finding ways to reach those not coming forward and reduce health inequalities. From sessions in Churches and Mosques, to vaccine buses parked near the shops those not getting jabs are most likely to shop in, to late night sessions, to jabbing door to door, to multi generational household invites to all attend together, to multiple phone calls and texts and not signing off groups until multiple efforts have been made to Rex h everyone, this massive logistical exercise to deliver 53m jabs x2, strikes me as a logistical exercise with huge amounts of success. Yes, no doubt there are some individuals who have had to travel further than they would like and some who didn’t get invited when they should have, but when you are running a system like this which in many ways has to be board brush and focused on the big picture of millions and speed, rather than every individual experience, that cannot be totally avoided.
What impresses me is the fact that the system is geared up both for speed and also is nuanced enough to scoop up those who don’t quite fit into the mass speedy rollout. The mass centres and national booking system allows the fast rollout and for more people to be jabbed sooner. But for anyone who cannot book there or can’t travel, there are lots of things in place to mean they do get mopped up and will be offered the jab in various locations or by various methods, so they can get done. It uses a lot of resources to reach some if these people, but they are being put into it.
I think the message has very much moved more to ‘get the jab immediately’ with a stronger focus on getting in with it. The government has to balance that sense of urgency against people feeling pressured beyond what is acceptable and can be counter productive.
And did you see the numbers jabbed yesterday? And watch out for bigger numbers in the coming weeks. I find it incredibly impressive.