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Original poster

Booster Queues

60 replies

Yellow85 · 08/12/2021 15:56

I’m very fortunate to have revived my booster in the last few days but wondered what everyone else’s experiences were of queuing at the vaccine centres? Both me and DH went to separate sites, different days, both queued for almost 3 hours to get our vaccine.

I guess is reflective of the high take up, but also wondered if most vaccinators have been stood down and returned to normal roles?

OP posts:
Gottasinggottadance · 08/12/2021 15:58

Did you have an appointment? Haven't been yet - going next week - but hoping it's not a 3 hour wait.

thelittlestrhino · 08/12/2021 16:00

Was yours a booked appointment or a drop in? They're not doing drop ins around here any more I don't think. I'm off to get mine in a couple of hours so hopefully no queueing for me!

I think recent changes in policy, plus current situation is making as many eligible people as possible try and get theirs - asap but definitely at least a few days before Christmas.

Original poster
Yellow85 · 08/12/2021 16:01

Yip both had appointments. Arrived about 10 mins before our allocated time. They were only allowing those with appointments into the queue as well, so not like there were walk-ins too.

Don’t get me wrong, it was well organised, but far cry from the in and out experience of vaccine 1&2!

OP posts:
Original poster
Yellow85 · 08/12/2021 16:03

@thelittlestrhino

Was yours a booked appointment or a drop in? They're not doing drop ins around here any more I don't think. I'm off to get mine in a couple of hours so hopefully no queueing for me!

I think recent changes in policy, plus current situation is making as many eligible people as possible try and get theirs - asap but definitely at least a few days before Christmas.

Yip both appointments. No walks in accepted either. So not sure if staffing is an issue or too many slots at the same time. I’d maybe take a book or something just incase!!

I also noticed that the vaccinator no longer goes through the medical questionnaire with you, a separate person goes round doing that. So maybe that holds it up as everyone is waiting for that person to be free.

OP posts:
Gottasinggottadance · 08/12/2021 16:04

What area? If they aren't allowing drop ins, wonder why they would be so delayed?

thelittlestrhino · 08/12/2021 16:04

Oh dear. Thanks for the heads up!

Original poster
Yellow85 · 08/12/2021 16:06

@Gottasinggottadance

What area? If they aren't allowing drop ins, wonder why they would be so delayed?
One Renfrewshire, one West Dumbartonshire. MIL had similar last week too…seems odd given how smooth it was last time.
OP posts:
Wingingitsince2018 · 08/12/2021 16:08

Mine wasn't quite as bad as 3 hours but must have been just pver an hour of queue as it took me an hour and a half in total. Luckily I had planned on doing some Xmas shopping after so had paid for 2 hours of parking!

Gottasinggottadance · 08/12/2021 16:08

Have mine in Lothian next week so will see if it's the same - thanks for the heads-up, I will take a snack!

Sourwolf · 08/12/2021 16:09

We had appointments and walked in a few minutes early, there was no queue and we were taken straight away.

3 hour wait! That’s insane.

MazzleDazzle · 08/12/2021 16:11

I had to queue too. Didn’t expect to as I walked straight in for my last appointments. Luckily I had a warm coat as it was freezing outside! Think I queued for half an hour outside, then 15 min inside. They weren’t accepting walk-ins - appointment only.

APurpleSquirrel · 08/12/2021 16:13

Had mine yesterday (SW England) - wasn't the place I had my initial two jabs as that has closed. I turned up a bit early, decided to try & get in - they let me straight in, nurse with jab in hand, all done in a few minutes & then had to wait 15mins to leave. Seemed like they were trying to get through as many as possible as quickly as possible, but no queue at all.

Original poster
Yellow85 · 08/12/2021 16:16

@MazzleDazzle

I had to queue too. Didn’t expect to as I walked straight in for my last appointments. Luckily I had a warm coat as it was freezing outside! Think I queued for half an hour outside, then 15 min inside. They weren’t accepting walk-ins - appointment only.
My poor DH was unprepared and freezing today! He was outside for 1.5 hours, then inside for the rest
OP posts:
MLMshouldbeillegal · 08/12/2021 16:18

I had mine this morning - way bigger queues than when I went for the 1st and 2nd doses in spring/summer. I didn't wait anything like 3 hours but even 40 minutes was a lot compared with the in and out in 5 minutes experience in the summer.

I think it's an issue with calling several groups at the same time. 12-18s still needing first jabs. People who still haven't had their second jab. Plus boosters plus flu jabs.

We're in Bearsden, in the summer we had a choice of several very large centres - the Hydro, the sports centre at Drumchapel, the Allander sports centre, Milngavie town hall, Clydebank, Partick Burgh Hall. Plus some GPs were doing them too.

Now, they've closed the Hydro and there were only about 8 nurses giving jabs in the town hall compared with twice that at the Allander in the summer.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 08/12/2021 16:22

Dh had his booster plus flu jab last week (Aberdeenshire). Was in and out within 20 minutes.

MLMshouldbeillegal · 08/12/2021 16:23

Also my appointment was 9.30 and the only opened at 9, so perhaps they hadn't had the opportunity to develop a backlog yet.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 08/12/2021 16:39

I had mine in Lothian this week. It was much busier than my first two jabs, but I was only waiting for about 10 mins after I arrived. I do know someone in a different health board who turned up for an appointment who was turned away as they just didn't have enough staff.

OnceUponAWhine · 08/12/2021 16:57

Queues make for some good TV news footage. Just saying…

ElephantOfRisk · 08/12/2021 17:25

I was 45mins to an hour late and had an appointment and they'd also turned a walk in away. Not too many booths open but I guess they had what the expected to need for the appointments. Some seemed to take ages though. People in front of me only appeared after I'd done my post jag wait and no sign of the person behind me at all.

TheCanyon · 08/12/2021 17:33

Oh god, I'm hoping it's not a long wait. I'm hoping as it's precise odd times it'll be ok.

thelittlestrhino · 08/12/2021 17:36

Well I’m straight in, no waiting in the cold for me! About 10 others waiting, nice and warm and socially distanced (Borders)

thelittlestrhino · 08/12/2021 17:49

All done! Couldn’t have been easier, thankfully

Rae36 · 08/12/2021 17:54

Mine is at an odd time like 8.46am on Saturday morning so hopefully I'll be quick

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 08/12/2021 17:54

A three hour wait for a scheduled appointment sounds like anything but well organised! I'm booked for Monday and I hope they've got a better handle on things at my vaccination centre by then. I heard about similarly long wait times there.

ElephantOfRisk · 08/12/2021 18:04

Mine was also an odd time but it was evening so presume the wait had just built up over the day.