Can't get booster jab

[KittenCatcher]

Despite having 3 gp surgeries, 5 pharmacies and 2 small hospitals in my area I cannot book for my booster. The next appointment MAY be in January, 5 miles from home, 8 months from my second dose. No doubt it will be my fault if I dont get vaccinated. Is this the same everywhere. No g.p or pharmacy offer it in my area.

Five miles isn’t bad is it? Have you specifically looked for walk in centres near you?

Just to add - I say look specifically because the walk ins by me weren’t advertised when I booked in my booster. I had to search separately for that info.

5 miles? I've just been invited for mine and it is in central London. I think I'm 16 miles away.

No, never heard that. Sounds really rubbish.

Where I am, people book on the NHS booking website, or ring 119, or email their GP surgery for assistance, or go to a walk-in of which there are now many.

Are you in England?

Where are you...
I walked into vaccination centre and got a drop in booster last week

How is 5 miles not your area? It only opened to over 40s today, I think you need to be patient really, more appointments will most likely open up soon. I’d keep checking.

Five miles is nothing.

No doubt it will be my fault if I dont get vaccinated.

Who do you think will be saying this?

I spoke to someone today who, when they went for their booster, was in the queue with someone who had come from a different city 44.5 miles away to use our local walk in because they couldn’t get an appointment near them! I wonder what all our local people are supposed to do if our slots/vaccines are all taken by people travelling to our area.

I know there is a large Boots pharmacy and a local pharmacy near us that are also doing them, is it worth asking near you?

Sorry, I see you say no pharmacy.

To be fair 5 miles is nothing. Where I live the nearest centre for any vaccine was further than that.

People seem to be missing/ ignoring that the appointment five miles away is in January.

@CorrBlimeyGG

People seem to be missing/ ignoring that the appointment five miles away is in January.

Technically it MAY be in January. I’d be interested to know what that means.

5 miles doesnt seem far but I live rurally, public transport is very poor, I am nearly 70 and would struggle to walk 5 miles there and back. Last time I got a taxi which I will do again when I get an appointment. I just don't understand how the government can keep stressing how important it is to get your booster within 5 months if there are not enough vacinnation centres to actually give them. By the time I get my booster how much immunity will I have left, I had AZ so it's pretty low now. The nearest walk in is nearly 30 miles away but they have no appointments either.

Where in the country are you? People might be able to find some walk ins.

Purple daisies, I cannot get anything booked online as the only place local is a small hospital 5 miles away which you book via g.p as it's not on the NHS site. I was told today they are fully booked until mid December for people vaccinated in April . J had mine in May. Even If I get it in January that will be 8 months, not 5 as recommended now.

Well we drove 50 miles round trip to a walk-in to be turned away because they'd had too many people turn up but by staying on top of the updates on the NHS website we got it a few days later also in a walk-in by driving 25 miles round trip.
Which, given the pressures they are under, seemed ok to me, and we are glad to have it.

I do ring my gp surgery every day and look at the online booking centres several times a day. I just get told to keep on looking. It's a bit depressing seeing Austria are offering pop up centres.

5 isnt recommended its still 6 though i agree with az it should be earlier. Its booking from 5. So you have booked for 1 m in advance.
Ive booked for 20/12 about 5 miles away i had d2 in mid june. So about 1 week late. Ideally i wouldnt be going in a big shop so close to xmas and im worried i wont be able to park!!
I dont drive and 3 days earlier we wouldnt have had to lug the 2 kids there.
I do agree long term this isnt right as every chemist should do jabs so it can be local why expect vulnerable to travel by bus or taxi when their jab has run out. I guess there will be quite a backlog caused by xmas too as places will be shut at least 2 days

@KittenCatcher

5 miles doesnt seem far but I live rurally, public transport is very poor, I am nearly 70 and would struggle to walk 5 miles there and back. Last time I got a taxi which I will do again when I get an appointment. I just don't understand how the government can keep stressing how important it is to get your booster within 5 months if there are not enough vacinnation centres to actually give them. By the time I get my booster how much immunity will I have left, I had AZ so it's pretty low now. The nearest walk in is nearly 30 miles away but they have no appointments either.

You don’t need an appointment for a walk-in centre. (Many offer booked appointments to guarantee you a slot, but the whole idea of walk-in is that you do just that.)

I apologise, I cross posted with you - I did not realise you lived rurally with no car. We live rurally but with a car.

I think in some instances they are going and doing people in their homes but you probably have to be housebound by illness to qualify.

I hope you get it OP.

Have you tried ringing 119

You can book it at 5 months, but cant have it till 6 months unless in a care home, house bound or starting chemo / immune therapy in the very near future

Thank you. My g.p literally told me that I would have to have both legs amputated before I got a home visit. The booking site has crashed now.

How come you are so late being offered it if you are nearing 70? I've had mine and only in my 50's.

How do you food shop etc? Can you not combine errands with visit to walk in? Go early in the morning and you will get one if they've had a delivery that day. Don't leave until late afternoon as they only get allocated a certain amount every day (I work in one)

Theplantisgrowing, I haven't been offered it, I have not received a text, I just watch the news and have been trying to book it for weeks. I get food delivered. My nearest walk in is 30 miles away and that's not guaranteed to do it. My own G.P surgery is a health centre with a pharmacy attached but they are not offering jabs even though they do the flu jabs each year. My younger relative who has the Pfizer has already had flu and booster vaconnations at her local pharmacy but in London. Maybe it depends on where you live.