The vulnerable are all vaccinated?

[Slothsloths]

I keep reading here that the vulnerable are vaccinated. Are people referring to groups 1-4, and has everyone in these groups had both their jabs?

I am CV and have not had both jabs and wondered if this is very unusual.

There must also be a smaller number of people who are vulnerable but cannot be vaccinated due to age or other conditions.

I'm on long term daily oral steroids for chronic asthma, and was told to shield during lockdown 1... Haven't been offered any jabs yet, and actually really worried as the last time I had a chest infection I was hospitalised on a nebuliser, and had to take a stronger dose of steroids for months to fight it off. Sickens me that some people have been claiming to be carers and jumping the queue, when I'm genuinely scared how my body would react if I caught covid. I'm also a key worker, dealing with the public day in day out, so can't even avoid contact, and as much as I try to socially distance, wear a mask, keep my hands clean etc, alot of customers choose to ignore the current guidance, and I have no choice but to put myself at risk. Just praying I get an invite for a vaccine soon.

Also, to add, I have asked my doctor about this twice, and been told asthma was downgraded and not considered a risk anymore, I'll be contacted when it's "my turn".... I'm late 30's, having to take daily steroids, to stop the asthma flaring up and becoming out of control, and without the steroids the inhalers don't control it at all. How am I not vunerable to a respiratory virus, when I'm reliant on steroids just to function half normally?!

You should have it!

I can't see how you're not at risk.

www.euronews.com/2021/05/06/covid-19-is-a-vascular-disease-not-a-respiratory-one-says-study

Many experts have been saying for a while it's a vascular illness. It can cause respiratory symptoms (not always) but isn't necessarily a respiratory disease.

Research has indicated asthma doesn't see worse outcomes for Covid.

I don't know if this will help reassure you. I understand that it might not, particularly as more information is still needed.

I hope you can get your jab soon.

We know that vaccines have significantly reduced efficacy for those with organ transplants and the immunocompromised. They’d be relying on some degree of herd immunity

Just posted this on another thread, but no, not all the vulnerable have been vaccinated.

Vulnerable minors that don’t fit neatly into the CEV category haven’t been vaccinated, my ds included. He has only left the house to attend hospital appointments for over a year now.

He has two siblings, one - he shares a room with - is over 18 so waiting for his age group to be eligible for vaccination, whilst going to work (although he should have been in Group 6, as he’s on the SMI Register, but our GP’s Vaccine Lead is refusing). The other is in Y7, where they will be mixing with other pupils, who are not even wearing masks as of next Monday.

A simple cold/virus can make him ill enough for hospital admission and months of recuperation and one of his conditions is actually known to be caused by Covid, in those that develop Long Covid.

He is very far from being the only minor in this situation, in fact there are also plenty of vulnerable adults also stuck in the same limbo. It seems if you have a rare or complex condition that doesn’t fit neatly into the government's CEV category then no-one gives a damn.

Others the same age, with the same conditions have been vaccinated at the discretion of their GPs or consultants, but it’s very much a postcode lottery and down to your individual doctors to agree.

Don’t forget vaccine hesitancy among BAME communities

Nope I’m group 4 and I’ve only had 1 jab. That’s by choice though.

That's terrible @PermanentlyDizzy

Your GP surgery sounds shit. Sorry if you've already tried this for your adult child - have you contacted your local CCG? Or are there any drop ins that might do him?

Neither myself nor my mother were called when we should have been, only when they were vaccinating two groups on in our areas. So we haven’t had second jabs yet. I’m Group 6, she’s Group 3.

@Tealightsandd He was only recently added to the register, so we’ve only just found out he should be done. The GP that added him to the register said he would speak to vaccine lead, who then said no. When he called to let me know I directed him to the NHS .Gov and JCVI guidance and he immediately apologised and said he would go back to them and get it sorted. That was over a week ago and he hasn’t come back to me yet. Planning to chase on Monday.

I can’t book him through a hub. I think it must be something to do with the SMI register being locally held by GPs, so the NHS booking site won’t accept him..

Can’t help wondering if no-one on our GP’s SMI register has been done, as they appear to be oblivious.

If they don’t get it sorted on Monday I will be approaching the CCG and Healthwatch.

@Happynewtier

Also, to add, I have asked my doctor about this twice, and been told asthma was downgraded and not considered a risk anymore, I'll be contacted when it's "my turn".... I'm late 30's, having to take daily steroids, to stop the asthma flaring up and becoming out of control, and without the steroids the inhalers don't control it at all. How am I not vunerable to a respiratory virus, when I'm reliant on steroids just to function half normally?!

It depends what dosage steroids your on that’s why. Anything above 40mg they won’t let you get it according to the guidelines. I’m on 40mg and been told by 3 people now. The vaccine won’t work with a high dosage and may make you sicker.

Good luck on Monday. I hope you can get it sorted.

I'd put it in writing to the GP - Practice Manager (CCG, if you get nowhere with GP). Polite letter explaining he's recently been added to the SMI register, which puts him in group 6. Ask your GP to flag him as group 6. Once that's done, he can book on the national system (although it can take a couple of weeks to update).

Thank you @Tealightsandd

@Slothsloths
Are you CV or cev?

I was later than most cev by a couple of weeks, due to needing consultant approval for the vaccine. I'm CEV.

I'm our area, and we were last to get going apparently in England, but apparently under 40s are now being invited for their jab.

@BusyLizzie61 I’m CV, have you had both jabs now?

In Scotland we are miles behind

My dad is 10 and shielded all year, on the advice of doctors, he is now back at school and obviously isn't going to be vaccinated any time soon.
Recently I keep seeing posters on here come out with something along the lines of...'children aren't vulnerable, even cev ones'....it is incredibly disheartening to read, along with ...'all the vulnerable are vaccinated'...my son wasn't kept home on a whim and nothing has changed about his medical vulnerabilities and complex needs.

Yes I have had both jabs.

I don't know any other cev that haven't tbh and those CV have too.

@CharlotteRose90
Can you post links to were guidance says those on high dose steroids should not have vaccination.
I am a vaccinator and it is definitely NOT on the list of things we ask patients, and definitely NEVER seen anything about steroids being a contra indication.

Not all vaccinated because I and many others declined ours, they will push this agenda until we are locked down again.

@CharlotteRose90 what?! I've had both jabs and I'm on high dose steroids - no one ever said I shouldn't have it??

In fact, high dose steroids is one of the things that puts you on the CEV list, isn't it?

I'm on other drugs too that they've told me mean I'm likely to have had a poor immune response to the vaccine, but if the steroids also mean it probably hasn't worked then I'm completely fucked, aren't I?

Dd is group 6 and only had her first this week. We have been calling every week since March.

We must be ahead here on the Fylde coast as ds who is fit and healthy at 32 was called by the gp and had his first vaccine this week