Vaccine doses being wasted/discarded

[Itsprobablynotcominghome]

I’m so sick of this situation.

We need to admit we have hit a wall and plan accordingly.

Hoarding vaccines to the point of letting them expire is a crime against humanity.

No more pop ups, no more large vaccination centres. Local GP surgeries can do weekly clinics. People, if they want it, will make the effort. I couldn’t care less if they don’t want it. There are plenty of people in the rest of the world who will gladly take them.

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/01/nhs-urged-to-redistribute-near-expiry-coronavirus-vaccines-as-take-up-slows-in-young

But we will need the large centers for boosters?

My 17yo would love a vaccine. It doesn't seem right that "adults" who can't be bothered or who don't want it should be incentivised when there are 1000s of teenagers who would happily have it before they return to poorly ventilated classrooms next month.

we need to vaccinate cev children / children from shielding families age 12+, we could speed up their roll out

@herecomesthsun

we need to vaccinate cev children / children from shielding families age 12+, we could speed up their roll out

100%

Perhaps open the offer of the vaccines to those age 16+ or younger to prevent spread in schools and colleges this autumn and lower the chance of them having to isolate and miss more of their education. Most European countries are ahead of us and now vaccinating ages 12+ so despite Boris crowing about being world beating it seem seems we are now behind.

Yeah - my 16 year old would snap your arm off for a vaccine but instead they're being thrown away? She's the only one in our household unvaccinated.

It's not been signed off for under 18s yet so that's not an option. Unfortunately this happens all the time with loads of medications. They will try to distribute it as well they can but they can't help that younger people are slower to get their vaccines. Expires are there for a reason.

Also, unfortunately if the JCVI have given guidance that they can't give 2nd doses in a shorter time frame than 8 weeks, then that is policy and the NHS can't magically change that.

Pfizer can be given to under 18s. My 17yo has been fully vaccinsted since May.

@herecomesthsun absolutely. My 14 year old is waiting for her jab (because of me), the JCVI have said it can happen and yet they're hanging around offering free McDonald's to 19 year olds who know they are low risk.

I agree mostly, especially when there are so many who want it and the risk of it going to waste. Mass vaccination benefits us best if people are vaccinated on a global scale. Plus what a waste of money and resources.

I'd be tempted to say last chance for vaccine for over 18s. It's going elsewhere. They'll soon come to the appointments.

I know an 18 year old (jabbed as soon as they could in July) off to study in US shortly.

Will they give her a second jab after 41/2 weeks? Absolutely not, so the poor kid will have to quarantine.

There seems to be minimal plans for schools and Universities in just over a month's time.

So over the weekend

First doses:
38,000 on Saturday
21,000 on Sunday

PATHETIC. No more pandering. It’s time to share!

I think there is definitely a case for looking at distribution in a smarter way but some of this is media dickery. An amount of wastage is pre-built into the manufacturing model with anything, and pharma is no different.

The local vaccine centre is at least 30 minute bus ride away on an hourly bus service (and that is assuming you live near the route). It is hardly convenient, especially if you work in hospitality. There are some big pop concerts up where the vaccine centre is over the summer....so they close the vaccine centre that day!

There is now a vaccine bus etc. but it is only publicised on Twitter a day or so in advance (and only open for a few hours). If you don't follow the right accounts you would be none the wiser. At the very least the GP practices could text eligible youths a couple of days before (or maybe they do?).

On the other hand, I suspect our local pharmacies are getting very excited about rolling out booster jabs to the over-50's next month.

@BIoodyStupidJohnson

I think there is definitely a case for looking at distribution in a smarter way but some of this is media dickery. An amount of wastage is pre-built into the manufacturing model with anything, and pharma is no different.

Meh.

I’d love to compare doses wasted in the U.K. vs somewhere like South Korea.

It’s not to do with the pharma companies, it’s to do with the mentality of the countries rolling it out.