Why have I been invited for Covid vaccine?

[hildaogden99]

I'm mid 50s and the last two years have received an invitation by text to have a Covid vaccine because "your nhs record suggests you may be at increased risk due to a health condition or treatment". I'm baffled as I don't have any health conditions and am not undergoing any treatment. In fact I'm very fit, healthy and not overweight. I looked up the criteria and I definitely don't meet it. DH (same age) has not been invited although he was a couple of years ago when the over 50s were included, as was I. I now feel a bit paranoid in case I have a condition I've never been told about! Am I safe to assume this is just a mistake and someone ticked the wrong box? Anyone else had this? Thanks.

I would assume it's a mistake. My DH gets invited to them as a household member of someone who is immunocompromised. I, the person who is immunocompromised, never get invited.

Are you autistic?

My ds is invited for that reason. Don't know why that would make him more vulnerable especially.

Your GP surgery will be able to tell you.

A lucky mistake. I used to get invites for the jabs. The invites were not requested by me - they just started because I have a qualifying neurological condition but the invites then stopped. When I queried it I was told that I don't have a neurological condition so I don't qualify for free jabs. I wish the GP admin person would tell my neurologist that she has cured me - she could single handedly save the NHS millions - in the meantime I remain on a repeat prescription for the neurological condition that I apparently don't have ...

No, but my son has high functioning autism. I'm pretty sure they still have my number for him even though he's now an adult. Could be that then, although god knows why that would make him more vulnerable to Covid!

Not sure. The text I get is definitely for my son not me. Unless different areas have different text messages and some are less clear than others!

Yeah I got the same one. About how my record show I'm at an increased risk. I have PCOS but I doubt that's a reason why. I went and had it done anyway along with my flu jab. Only had it done because my last bout of covid absolutely floored me

I've been invited for extra ones since the GP weighed me in February.

I work in commissioning and we are getting a lot of messages from GPs saying their patients have had an invite that they didn’t send and can’t work out why the patient has been called.

Yes, if they consider you to be a carer.

I had this. Recently attended for a routine contraceptive check and mentioned it. My info was flagged as a high BMI of 78. I haven’t but someone had entered my height as 16cm 😂

I am only 49 and I keep getting invited for the same reason and I have no idea whatsoever what the "vulnerability" could be.

Anyway, 2 years ago, I thought I would do my duty (mum elderly etc) and booked in to one of the local vaccination places. When I got there they questioned me really humiliatingly and wouldn't do the vaccine.

So I just ignore it now. They made me feel like I was trying to take a vaccine away from someone who deserved it.

I got invited this year too, I decided to take it up as I could get it through work (social care) but I have no idea why the NHS feel I'm entitled - new job so not that!

I'm autistic. My GP told me that only autism people with learning difficulties get an invitation.

I had this and assumed it was because I was over 50?

Did you ever have high blood sugars in pregnancy? Gestational diabetes, even if after birth you subsequently have normal blood sugars, triggers a vaccine request.

How's your cholesterol? Mine is very slightly raised and that triggered the invite for me.

I work in a GP surgery and we often see 'eligible for COVID vaccine' on a patient's record and yet cannot work out why. Sometimes it tells you, sometimes it doesn't and you have to play detective. We can usually work it out and it may be from something being on there from years ago and not resolved, or just an incorrect code added, but sometimes it remains a mystery.
It's frustrating for everyone.
If someone turns up for a vaccine, I'm only legally allowed to give it if they qualify and I have to check. If I've given it to someone who doesn't qualify, it's outside the legal framework I'm working within (a PGD) which specifies that I can give certain people this prescription only medicine without a prescription.
It can get very awkward, trying to work it out with the patient in front of you if they aren't sure either. Often covid vaccine clinics are separate from GPs and the person giving the vaccine has no access to your medical records to try to work it out.

This has been a problem from the beginning of the campaign and it hasn't gone away. It won't, because medical records are a complicated mess.

Nope, I'm 63 and don't get it free now (I paid and had it at boots ). Unless there's different policies in different areas.

High cholesterol isn't in the eligibility criteria. Did your GP surgery tell you that was why you were invited?

Anyone who is classed as obese is eligible so most of the UK population are likely on a list. Poor sods.

Morbidly obese - BMI over 40 so not most of the UK

Only morbid obesity (BMI 40+), not all people with obesity. Otherwise, yes, it would be an awful lot!

I was only asking.

I don't think carers are eligible this time either (front line health care and social care are though but not family carers). I wonder if that will change if the prevalence starts to increase.