worried about taking baby to get vaccinated at doctors with coronavirus

[Butterflyy20]

title says it all really. i've been assured that any people with symptoms go in a different entrance with completely different staff and staff wear masks but i can't help but worry. i have been avoiding all contact as we have been advised i have only been out for short exercise on my own with no one around. any advice???

I can only tell you how we’re managing it (practice nurse).

We have “hot” rooms (for suspected infections) and “cold” rooms (for seeing routine patients with no symptoms.) We use different entrances and exits into the practice for these areas.

We’re wearing masks, gloves and aprons for every patient. We are washing our hands before and after every patient. We are cleaning the rooms and chairs etc between patients. We’re holding the doors so patients don’t use the handles, and wiping them anyway after every interaction. The toilets and baby change station are locked and out of action.

We’re prescreening anyone we let in to the surgery by calling them first. If they have a cough or fever we won’t see them in the cold side.

Staff aren’t mixing, we are confined to our rooms. The hot and cold side have separate staff toilet facilities with cleaning wipes in them.

I hope this reassures you slightly. Vaccines are classed as essential work, we are not seeing anything that isn’t essential. Our numbers of cold face to face consultations are way down.

It’s important to get your baby vaccinated.

I’m really scared about this as well! I have my baby’s 8 week vaccinations in a month and I don’t want to go. Not only scared about gp office but also getting there - we don’t have a car and it’s an hour walk each way to the city centre. We haven’t left the house once since he was born four weeks ago - we only went for a five minute walk around the block one time and it was terrifying because people were not respecting social distancing! We haven’t left the house since even for outdoor exercise.

I know vaccines are important but what can he catch if we don’t leave the house? Can they be delayed? How should I weigh the risk of postponing the vaccines with the very real risk of catching Coronavirus if I go out with him?

@sadtoday it’s important to get the vaccines done at the time they’re due.

I understand your fears but being inside 24/7 isn’t healthy either. Do you have access to a garden or outdoor space?

Is there anyone who can give you a lift to the surgery next month?

Sorry @sadtoday21

Many gps aren't taking people with symptoms at all, not even through a separate entrance. You aren't allowed to open doors yourself or really touch anything unless necessary. I've been to the gp 3 times since the cv took off and over been the only patient there each time, so probably way less likely to pick something up than you normally would.

If you and everyone you live with is fully vaccinated AND the first time baby sees anyone is to get vaccines (maintain isolation after lockdown until appointmemt) then delaying isn't such a problem if it's the first set (intervals between are more important to keep to). Also vaccines are really important so they'd rather you had them late than not at all.

I had an appointment at my GP’s last week for a regular B12 injection. There was no-one there when I arrived and one other patient at reception when I was leaving. We sort of danced around each other to maximise distance

@Sidge I’m sure you are right, I know my gp will say the same when I ring them about it. I just can’t get over the fear of walking two hours to the city centre and encountering who knows how many people. Even if the surgery is empty - I will definitely see people en route there and I don’t have anyone to drive me (plus this would go against social distancing as it wouldn’t be anyone in my household). I imagine walking is better than taking a taxi as well, although I’m not even sure taxis are operating right now tbh. Worst comes to worst, dh and I will put on masks and gloves and put baby in pram with the rain cover on. Part of me thinks though that dh should stay home and not risk infection, that only one of us should go, but I’m scared to go alone. We do have a garden and I try to get out in it for a few minutes a day.

I had to take my daughter for her 12 week injections last week and was sick with worry. My husband is classed as high risk so we've self isolated for 3 weeks already, not left the house at all.
My surgery assured me that vaccination schedules were going ahead as planned so that babies and their bodies were used to fighting infection (makes sense). The receptionist told me that all surfaces are cleaned regularly, staff remain 2m apart and are obviously being extra careful in washing hands. My practice also does telephone appointments for almost everything and only if they need to bring you in will an appointment be made for the afternoon though they made an exception for us and we were first appointment of the day. They aren't seeing anyone suspected of having covid so the risk would only be if someone was asymptomatic.
The front doors were locked and only opened for me and the nurse opened the interior doors so the only 'contact' I had was with the seat when I sat down. The nurse was obviously close administering the jabs but she was as quick as she could be.
Despite all of this, there's still a tiny risk I could have picked it up so we've had to self isolate within the house (me and baby) from my husband for 2 weeks.

Thanks for this detail! I assume my gp is taking similar precautions, but it still doesn’t reassure me. I have to walk two hours round trip to get there with my newborn and I can’t isolate from my husband upon return as we live in a small flat with one bathroom. We’ve been completely isolating for a month and I don’t feel safe going to gp for these vaccinations, it feels like the risk is higher than benefit atm.