Anyone managed to get their 5-11 year old vaccinated yet?

[FoodSchmood]

As household contacts of a CEV person my kids are now eligible for Covid vaccination (link here for anyone unaware).

I'm trying to get it organised, but the GP say they don't do it, the local vaccination team say they don't do it and the schools immunisation team (both local and county) say they don't do it either. Each pass me to the other! I know systems for extra vaccinations for CEV folk and their households have been badly organised and know it may take some time for the local health authorities to organise it, but I'm posting in the hopes that someone has managed it, so we can try whatever they did to get theirs done! :)

(and i'll say upfront I'm not looking for a debate about vaccinating children, thanks!)

We were advised unless the child is cev it doesn't matter who they live with they won't be getting a jab.

That's not what's in the Green Book Just

OK @mightbeyesmightbeno thanks for clarifying. I'm sure you know that these sort of threads often get people dropping in to tell us what they'd do without having any experience of the situation.

Totally understand @PastMyBestBeforeDate and agree. I'm not trying to enforce my view on anyone, just adding my opinion to the thread. My career obviously doesn't cover specifics of this topic but I have been following the vaccine development & programme very carefully with all the new research that comes with it due to the patients that I look after.
Am fully in support of vaccines, just am a little cautious & wary around this last push for all ages.

I asked local surgery and we were told the rules they were advised on is 5 to 11 yr olds will only be jabbed if they are cev.
Though the rules change that often who knows!

I’ve been told the same Just but that's not what the Green Book says and not what the JCVI said. The CCG may have told them that but I don't see how they can go against published rules.

There seem alot of confusion over covid rules etc.
When we had our boosters we asked at the door if anyone in household had covid and were told you couldn't have the booster for 28 days post covid. Whereas others I know have never been asked about covid, and other been told is 14 days.

Let's hope there is some clarity soon.

@Justwingingit2005

We were advised unless the child is cev it doesn't matter who they live with they won't be getting a jab.

@Justwingingit2005 - JCVI advised on 22 Dec that 5-11 year olds who live with someone of any age who is immunosuppressed will be eligible for the vaccine, as well as 5-11 year olds in a clinical at risk group themselves.

JCVI advice here

NHS England letter about it here

On a different, but related note, had anyone had to use their keep at home PCR kit yet and managed to get a replacement one sent? The letter I had said to order a replacement through 119, but they said they could only send a regular one, not one of the urgent ones that we were originally sent. Which is a worry as you need the results back quickly enough to arrange starting anti virals within 5 days of the symptoms starting.. the (rude and arsey!) person at 119 declared that my GP should provide it as they would provide the anti virals (though I'm pretty sure that's wrong and they come via the hospital pharmacy) so I've dropped them a line. Not holding out much hope though!

No word on vaccinations for the kids here, will probably call and ask for an update soon. I'm due to talk to my consultant early Feb so if nothing by then I'm going to ask if he has any way of getting it sorted via the hospital.

aaaand one turned up this morning! I don't know if the GP organised it or if 119 sent it after all, but I have a new one so that's good!

Saw this on twitter from Deepti Gurdasani:

"Called our GP and they've now started vaccinating vulnerable kids & households between 5-11 yrs!! Just booked her in. Do call them if your child is eligible and you don't hear from them. Given the infection rates in primaries right now, every layer of protection will help."

So might be worth a chase up with your GPs/CCGs all! I've emailed my CCG as the GP was adamant it wouldn't be them...

@PastMyBestBeforeDate @herecomesthsun @RatherbeinCanada @CovidForChristmas @Dammitthisisshit

Thank you for sharing.
Mine is just recovering from a hospital stay because they caught covid before Christmas. I think we need to wait now before they can have the vaccine. Will look into it now it seems to be happening.

Brilliant thanks @FoodSchmood. I still don’t have my vulnerable letter/priority PCR test so was going to ask my GP to look into why so can roll this into 1 request.

Thanks @FoodSchmood I've emailed my CCG and GP collectively as the GP was saying its not them, so did NHS England and 119 said they're not set up yet. Fingers crossed.

Thanks @FoodSchmood. I shall hit the phone in a bit. We're going to try and get the 15 year old boosted this weekend as well.

Oh FFS. Our local vaccination service is going backwards. Previously they said they'd only do the vulnerable in their own right 5-11 year olds and not household contacts. Today they're saying no under 12s at all. And I don't know if the woman I spoke to has misunderstood me or not. It's an absolute farce. Again.
And possibly all pointless as we've just heard covid is back in his class.

I’ve spoken to my GP who says they don’t vaccinate under 12s, but said she would look into it for me. If she turns up anything I’ll let you know. Alternatively if anyone else finds out how we organise this please let me know!

I've been told that while my DC are eligible they don't yet have anyone trained to give it to them. I've asked about the staff who normally vaccinate children and why can't they do it? Failing that, give me the damn needle and I'll do it.

Could all be moot anyway as eldest has had to have a PCR test this morning after becoming ill. The back to school cold left me needing hospital treatment. Bless him he's wandering around with a mask on in the house.

The children's vaccines are not yet available in the UK. The planning for the roll-out (to clinically vulnerable children) is happening at the moment and I understand vaccination will commence from the beginning of February. I doubt individual GPs and vaccination centres will be fully briefed yet which would probably explain why everyone has drawn a blank so far. Everything has been cloak and dagger up to the last minute so far so I don't imagine it will be any different this time...

The adult vaccines cannot easily be used for children because the dose would be such a tiny volume there would be a risk of not enough going into the child. The Green Book says it can be done in exceptional circumstances, but it will really be best to use the children's formulation for children.

Thanks Janet. I wonder how the woman in Cambridge is getting an appointment then.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Thanks Janet. I wonder how the woman in Cambridge is getting an appointment then.

Sorry I'm not sure who the woman in Cambridge is. Deepti Gurdasani? If so she's since tweeted that they were turned away. I guess some children will be receiving the fractional adult doses, but that's unlikely to be widespread.

That's her Janet. I hadn't seen they were sent away.

I'm in Scotland and have just received a letter inviting my 11 year old for 1st vaccine

That's good news cheerful :)
Feeling very gloomy at the chances of ds getting it soon. Loads of cases in his year.

Thanks, I'm so relieved. Had convinced myself it would be the usual fiasco of phoning round and buck passing.

Fingers crossed everyone else gets sorted

Just bumping this with news that we had a text today and ds has an appointment :)