Booster booking availability?

[GoldenOmber]

The NHS Scotland vaccine booker page says I can book my booster for Jan, but lots of the sites offering it have no available appointments at all in January.

Does anyone know if new appointments get added closer to the time like they did with the main vaccine programme?

There are some showing with appointments available, but they’re all in the back of beyond with terrible public transport options and I don’t drive.

You just need to keep checking .
It gets updated regularly, can be showing as nothing for a particular venue and then the next day there's loads availability showing.

Great, thanks.

I know the Central Mosque in Glasgow allows drop-ins, provided you're 24 weeks from your second vaccination.

I know this because we went a day late for our flu jags we got the days mixed up and got them done no problem - and as we couldn't get our boosters at the same time (because we'd had Covid 3 weeks ago) they'd said we could either call up to make an appointment or just come along as they took drop-ins.

They recommended a similar time to the one we were there as they said it was always quiet then: just before midday.

Dh and I both got the same advice from different vaccinators (only his took 3 times as long as mine to tell him, so I had to wait ages for him )

I phoned this morning because I couldn't remember my username to log in.
She arranged an appointment for me on Monday. I told her I'm not 24 weeks from my 2nd jag. She said it was ok to go and they would give me it.
Hope I don't have a wasted journey.

I see you are looking to book in January? I don't think they seem to put the appointments on very far ahead. Not in my area/the centre I wanted to go to anyway. Seemed to be about a week ahead at most.

Yeah it might that most of them just haven’t got many appointments up yet? There were a couple of venues with January appointments (including my ‘local’ centre, 2 bus rides and a walk along a dual carriageway away ) but few and far between.

If they do keep adding new appointments I’ll just keep checking it.

It's funny how often a centre further away is easier to get to. You could always try calling them up and see if they can book you in?

@ecceromani

You just need to keep checking . It gets updated regularly, can be showing as nothing for a particular venue and then the next day there's loads availability showing.

That’s my experience too.

Also its been changed from 24 weeks since your last jag to 22 weeks.

And all the boosters are Pfizer or Moderna , even if your last ones were Astra Zeneca.

I'm a vaccine nurse in ayrshire and you need to have an appointment.

Only drop ins for 1st and 2nd dose.unless that you will likely be asked to wait for blue letter.

More appointments get added when staffing levels are organised. They are short across the board and that goes for main hospitals too.

Please be patient. I know it's difficult. But working across the priorities and age groups means we get everyone ASAP.

Bookings opened for 50 to 59 age groups.

If you are too early you will only get offered your flu vaccine and asked to return.

I am in Edinburgh trying to book a booster appointment somewhere that doesn't involve going out to Ingliston, which currently seems the only option. I am really hoping they are able to start doing more vaccine appointments somewhere more central, as Ingliston is a pain to get to on public transport, which is surely going to put people off.

Please be patient. I know it's difficult. But working across the priorities and age groups means we get everyone ASAP.

Oh I’m fine with it taking a while to roll out, I know staffing for this must be a logistical nightmare and I don’t mind waiting.

Just interested to know whether new appointments/sites do keep rolling out, really, because the ones on offer currently are such a faff to get to if you don’t drive it’s not really worth it.

@Double3xposure are you sure it's been changed to 22 weeks? NHS infirm still says 24 weeks. I'm going to try and change my DH's appointment if that's the case but don't want him to get turned away.

Sorry NHS Inform

@imstilljenny2
I phoned back up today. I have an appointment for Monday and I'm 22 weeks. They told me it is changing to 22weeks BUT not yet. They booked me in for 2 weeks time

Yeah they sort staffing out and it can change weekly if they ask us to work or cover we offer and then they can throw in another clinic or further availability.

If you look up your health trust online you can see when they are running clinics and when.

We have been running clinics 7 days a week. I know I have done 5 this week 😂.

You can also book clinics for other locations across Scotland if you live in Scotland.

I booked mine for the 28th December as it was the only date free, then a local friend who hadn't booked said they got a letter for 7th December, wish I hadn't booked now!

I did go on and check and the whole of 17th December was now free to book, think they must have recently opened up the whole date.

[quote imstilljenny2]@Double3xposure are you sure it's been changed to 22 weeks? NHS infirm still says 24 weeks. I'm going to try and change my DH's appointment if that's the case but don't want him to get turned away. [/quote]
I had my flu vaccine / booster at the weekend and that’s what I was told by the doctor who vaccinated me.

I moved my appointment back by 10 days because it would only have been 23 weeks and I wanted the booster as well. She said the rule had only just changed so I probably would have been ok with the earlier date.

She was a retired consultant who does the vaccines one day a week so I assume she knows what she’s taking about.

But I guess it’s possible that each health board has its own rules. So you could always phone the Scottish Covid Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 (8am to 8pm) and check.

BTW my appointment letter also said 24 weeks - which is why I changed my appointment in the first place.

Also I just check my vaccine certificate online and although it shows that I attended the “ autumn / winter vaccination “ it’s not in the certificate - it only shows 1and 2.

I'm fed up. I've been trying to book all morning but the website seems to have crashed. I just can't get on to it at all.

@Double3xposure

But I guess it’s possible that each health board has its own rules. So you could always phone the Scottish Covid Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 (8am to 8pm) and check.

BTW my appointment letter also said 24 weeks - which is why I changed my appointment in the first place.

Also I just check my vaccine certificate online and although it shows that I attended the “ autumn / winter vaccination “ it’s not in the certificate - it only shows 1and 2.

That's because the ££££ system the scotgov went for doesn't accommodate it. The one we were offered for free does though.