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General => The Stay Safe Board => Topic started by: LizzieL on Tuesday 26 January 21 16:06 GMT (UK)
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I was under the impression that the priority groups as set out in this government document
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-care-home-and-healthcare-settings-posters/covid-19-vaccination-first-phase-priority-groups
So those in the 65 - 69 age group (group 5) (only slightly less vulnerable than 70 - 75 year olds especially if they have one or more medical conditions on the list), would follow straight after Group 4.
But something rather disturbing on BBC news website today
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-55808412/page/2
"Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, is still answering MPs questions.
He says teachers, police and people with learning disabilities will need to be considered for the next round of Covid-19 vaccinations, after jabs have been offered to the top four priority groups."
So looks like group 5 and lower will have to wait a while longer
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-55808412/page/2
"Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, is still answering MPs questions.
He says teachers, police and people with learning disabilities will need to be considered for the next round of Covid-19 vaccinations, after jabs have been offered to the top four priority groups."
It took me a little while to spot this - and since it's a live news page with the newest items always on page 1 and older items gradually moving towards higher page numbers, it might help others to know that this is part of the item timed at 12:45.
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It might be more medically appropriate to vaccinate some of the a "younger" groups if that subgroup has a higher death rate that the typical 65+/60+ . Look at the death rates by occupation as well as by age.
It's not a case of throwing young seniors under the bus, they are still going to get a vaccine, albeit slightly later.
We need to keep reviewing what's the best course of action regarding vaccinations, I'm realistically not expecting to get jabbed before late summer. I've had Covid once, and I'm not eager to repeat the experience, even though I didn't need anything more than over-the-counter drugs.
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It might be more medically appropriate to vaccinate some of the a "younger" groups if that subgroup has a higher death rate that the typical 65+/60+ . Look at the death rates by occupation as well as by age.
So you're saying someone just under 70 with 3 conditions on the NHS clinically vulnerable list, and probably more likely to die than many fit and healthy 70 - 75year olds should be behind fit and healthy 20 - 50 somethings who get ahead just because of their occupation?
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You don't seem to be taking issue with frontline carers getting it before 65y+ .
I'm saying look at the data
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Well I head all that too.... my O.H had his on Saturday just gone ( he’s over 70)... thinking it was going to be some considerable time before I get mine... I’m not 70 until September....
About an hour ago my mobile pinged with a message from my doctors surgery to follow the link put in my d of b and choose which of the two centres to go to and time.... Thursday lunch time this week! I’m gobsmacked it’s come through this quickly.... I’m not complaining at all...
there’s hope for us all so keep you’re fingers crossed everyone...
I live on Cambs/Beds/Northants borders...
Caroline
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Good evening,
I think it depends on where you live, how many vaccination centres you have and the number of people in that area in each group. So some areas have completed groups where others havn't.
I'm still waiting for my call, i'm only just 70. OH is 68 but has severe asthma and bronchitus so should be in the same group. She could feasibly get hers before me.
John915
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Well I head all that too.... my O.H had his on Saturday just gone ( he’s over 70)... thinking it was going to be some considerable time before I get mine... I’m not 70 until September....
About an hour ago my mobile pinged with a message from my doctors surgery to follow the link put in my d of b and choose which of the two centres to go to and time.... Thursday lunch time this week! I’m gobsmacked it’s come through this quickly.... I’m not complaining at all...
there’s hope for us all so keep you’re fingers crossed everyone...
I live on Cambs/Beds/Northants borders...
Caroline
Well done, you're in group 5 like me. OH is over 70 and just got a message to arrange his appointment a couple of hours after I started this thread.
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I saw that news story too. But then a few days ago I got the call from the Dr. So I'm having mine this morning in a little over an hour (9.15)
Which is strange because my OH is extremely vulnerable, and had her first taste of fresh air in a year yesterday, hospital procedure.
Perhaps being a full time home carer helps, or having diabetes, or microvascular angina, I don't fit the vulnerable group so I'm told.
Were both in our mid 60's so it was getting ever closer, but then she has multiple allergies and can have the Oxford vaccine but not the Pfizer's.
My biggest problem is the people who just refuse to keep their distance, especially the supermarket, reaching over my shoulder because they can't wait a few seconds for me to move.
Strange times aren't they, social animals who can't be social. ::)
Added:
The needle the nurse used is nothing like as big as the ones they keep showing on TV... Phew!
And the only reason my OH shouldn't have a particular brand of vaccine is if she has an allergy to one of the ingredients.... Genetically modified organisms 👍
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Great news for Caroline!
Front lineworkers such as teachers and police are hugely vulnerable, and it is vile they are expected to turn up for work with no protection.
But where is the provision for the medical staff in all this?
All the same, I shall be 70 in June, and can't help feeling like I am being left out for the wolves, and the fact remains that around 75% of our 100,000+ have been in the over 65 age range.
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We had ours last week (Pfizer). We are in Grp 3 (75+) but both would have been happy to give our turn up to frontline workers* if we'd been asked. We don't have to put ourselves on the front line every day. They do.
* including NHS, care workers, teachers, delivery people, etc.
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Good afternoon,
I realise that for many people, vaccinating the elderly is a priority. However, I feel that perhaps the order of play is the wrong way around.
Surely the best thing for getting the country back on it's feet and industry up and running fully would be the opposite. So all the younger age groups (under 60 say) who make up the largest proportion of the workforce should be first. Along with the keyworkers who are not in those younger age groups.
John915
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Good afternoon,
I realise that for many people, vaccinating the elderly is a priority. However, I feel that perhaps the order of play is the wrong way around.
Surely the best thing for getting the country back on it's feet and industry up and running fully would be the opposite. So all the younger age groups (under 60 say) who make up the largest proportion of the workforce should be first. Along with the keyworkers who are not in those younger age groups.
John915
How would that reduce overall hospital admissions and deaths which are much higher for older people especially those with certain medical conditions which are often also related to age?
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Good afternoon,
I realise that for many people, vaccinating the elderly is a priority. However, I feel that perhaps the order of play is the wrong way around.
Surely the best thing for getting the country back on it's feet and industry up and running fully would be the opposite. So all the younger age groups (under 60 say) who make up the largest proportion of the workforce should be first. Along with the keyworkers who are not in those younger age groups.
John915
Except most hospital and ICU beds are taken up by the elderly.
So even if you vaccinated the younger age groups and sent them back to work, the hospitals would still be struggling to cope.
Giving the elderly priority in vaccination is more to do with keeping them out of hospital than anything else
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Ooh John you've voiced my deepest darkest fear.
As someone in group 7 I am more than a little concerned that after groups 1 to 4 have been jabbed, priorities may change and vaccinating the working population will be deemed more important than vaccinating the fit retired.
I don't have an issue with the principle but I'm getting a little fed up with the constantly changing goalposts.
In the majority of cases the vaccine will stop people getting seriously ill, but as yet none of them have been proven to stop people catching the virus and passing it on. It worries me that a vaccinated working population will fail to maintain social distancing and my weekly trip to the supermarket will become even more stressful.
Jane :-)
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I was discussing some of the points here with my husband on our walk. He has had both vaccinations and I had my first last week.
We both agreed that it will not change the way we conduct our lives at all. We are warned after vaccination that it is not a signal to go out and be active.
I do see how dreadful it is for those who have been in their homes since March and am thankful that we can have a walk most days.
On the other hand, I am fearful for my relatives who have to go out to work each day. They need to work, they are in education, as do others to keep us safe and provide for our needs - health, police, supermarkets, refuse collectors and so on.
Whatever groups are decided, some will feel that they are being treated unfairly. I don’t know the answer. I think I would opt for the working population, especially now as, it seems, younger people are becoming more ill with the disease.
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I don't think that there is (yet, maybe never) any evidence that younger people are becoming more unwell than before when they contract the infection.
Hospital admission rates are still very low for them.
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Older people have mostly followed the rules, self isolated etc to avoid catching and spreading the virus.
Not holding raves, parties, weddings with large groups of guests.
There's no doubt in my mind that vaccinating the younger population first is going to be a green light to some of them to carry on as normal and continue spreading the virus, as it appears that even when vaccinated, you can still possibly spread it.
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It is very much dependent on where you live I think. . My OH is early 70’s , but our docs have said they are now getting ready to vaccinate 75 to 79 next, subject to getting vaccine supplies , so he’ll be. a While getting it . They let us know on their Facebook posts stating where they are at and how many phone calls have been made into the surgeries in the previous week. For our surgery it’s usually 1900 calls a week.
I’m group 7 and not retired so I’m not expecting mine for quite a while.
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My husband is 80 years old and has a heart condition. He received his letter yesterday and will have his first dose on Monday and the second dose in April. I am much younger at 59 so expect it will be a long time yet before I get the first dose. I doubt I will receive the second dose until at least August.
One thing I don't understand - what is the benefit of teachers moving up the priority list? If children go back to school they can still spread it to families and the elderly.
Rishile
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Because teachers can't avoid relatively large numbers of contacts.
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They let us know on their Facebook posts stating where they are at and how many phone calls have been made into the surgeries in the previous week. For our surgery it’s usually 1900 calls a week.
People in our area are being urged not to call their GP Surgery regarding when their vaccine might be (date currently unknown), due to blocking telephone lines and preventing the making of Appointments for currently ill patients, some, which after a Doctor's Appointment are found to have very serious or currently life threatening conditions.
Mark
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Good afternoon,
I realise that for many people, vaccinating the elderly is a priority. However, I feel that perhaps the order of play is the wrong way around.
Surely the best thing for getting the country back on it's feet and industry up and running fully would be the opposite. So all the younger age groups (under 60 say) who make up the largest proportion of the workforce should be first. Along with the keyworkers who are not in those younger age groups.
John915
Except most hospital and ICU beds are taken up by the elderly.
So even if you vaccinated the younger age groups and sent them back to work, the hospitals would still be struggling to cope.
Giving the elderly priority in vaccination is more to do with keeping them out of hospital than anything else
I think perhaps the thought is if health workers, and some other key workers, be vaccinated, there will be less of them off work poorly and so more of them able to remain in work to staff hospitals and other essential services. I have read that the Moderna vaccine is likely to start deliveries from the Spring so they will help.
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Aren't the health care and care home staff in the first priority group anyway.
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My understanding is that vaccination won't exempt you from the need to self-isolate if you're contacted or pinged by nhs test and trace. Schools could still have half their staff off and kids sent home.
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Care home residents, staff & outside care-workers were Scotland's priority. more or less completed!
Skoosh.
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Aren't the health care and care home staff in the first priority group anyway.
First and second:
1. Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers
2. 80-year-olds and over and frontline health and social care workers
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This was from our local council:
Care homes residents and staff expected to have finished by last Friday plus ...
“In addition to care home residents and staff, all other priority groups are on track to be vaccinated by mid-February. These are those aged over 70; frontline health and social care workers, and clinically extremely vulnerable people.”
20+ homeless people were also vaccinated a couple of weeks ago.
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I think it depends on where you live and the availability of the vaccine.
I had a ‘phone call on Sunday afternoon and, half an hour later, I’d had the jab - I’m a sprightly 69!
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Yes, I think you are right, Ray.
The ‘i’ newspaper reports today, for example, that the North West will have doses cut by about one third to get the supplies to other regions.
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I think it depends on where you live and the availability of the vaccine.
I had a ‘phone call on Sunday afternoon and, half an hour later, I’d had the jab - I’m a sprightly 69!
I had mine yesterday, (I'm 66) at the local medical centre, yet someone less that a mile away who is in his 90's and has dementia, and belongs to the same medical centre, hasn't had his.
They can't use the excuse of "no home visits yet" because my OH is having her jab at home on Saturday.
This system seems very hit and miss.
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Good afternoon,
So Britain is at the forefront again. Another vaccine is now being developed and produced in Livingstone, Scotland. With a huge amount of goverment cash to help we should have Valneva by the end of the year. Maybe earlier if testing is good and it gets it's licence.
If it comes off then Britain will have a vaccination cabability of 200M + per year.
John915
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I think it depends on where you live and the availability of the vaccine.
I had a ‘phone call on Sunday afternoon and, half an hour later, I’d had the jab - I’m a sprightly 69!
I had mine yesterday, (I'm 66) at the local medical centre, yet someone less that a mile away who is in his 90's and has dementia, and belongs to the same medical centre, hasn't had his.
They can't use the excuse of "no home visits yet" because my OH is having her jab at home on Saturday.
This system seems very hit and miss.
Yes - one neighbour in her early 50's with immunity issues had hers three weeks ago and another in her mid 60's with no health issues had her first dose last week. Their surgery is a small rural one
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Good afternoon,
I had mine yesterday, (I'm 66) at the local medical centre, yet someone less that a mile away who is in his 90's and has dementia, and belongs to the same medical centre, hasn't had his.
They can't use the excuse of "no home visits yet" because my OH is having her jab at home on Saturday.
This system seems very hit and miss.
We have had the same here. However, it wasn't as simple as it seemed to those who queried it. The two people involved are waiting to be called but actually are not registered with our local surgery. They chose to take their sons advice and register with his doctor in town. They have many more people to get through. I understand they are both 80ish.
John915
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Good afternoon,
I had mine yesterday, (I'm 66) at the local medical centre, yet someone less that a mile away who is in his 90's and has dementia, and belongs to the same medical centre, hasn't had his.
They can't use the excuse of "no home visits yet" because my OH is having her jab at home on Saturday.
This system seems very hit and miss.
We have had the same here. However, it wasn't as simple as it seemed to those who queried it. The two people involved are waiting to be called but actually are not registered with our local surgery. They chose to take their sons advice and register with his doctor in town. They have many more people to get through. I understand they are both 80ish.
John915
I've got my next one in 12 weeks.
I was quite surprised how quiet the centre was yesterday, I was 15 minutes early but went straight in, no waiting, I was out again in less that 10 minutes.
Griff
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Our surgery is a small rural one too and it’s combined with two other centres to choose from...I had mine ...an hour ago and I’m not 70 until Sept...
Unlike my SiL aged 72 lives in Brighton not heard anything so far... another in Cirencester the same... so it would seem living rurally has advantages after all...
Caroline
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I think it depends on where you live and the availability of the vaccine.
I had a ‘phone call on Sunday afternoon and, half an hour later, I’d had the jab - I’m a sprightly 69!
You may have been on a reserve list of people to be invited at short notice in order to use up vaccine. G.P.s have been advised to compile reserve lists in case they receive more doses than are needed for appointments already made. People on a reserve list have to live within a certain travelling time/distance, be fit enough to get to the vaccination location and able to get there quickly. The person who phoned you may have contacted several people before you who weren't able to make it to the venue at short notice.
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I think it depends on where you live and the availability of the vaccine.
I had a ‘phone call on Sunday afternoon and, half an hour later, I’d had the jab - I’m a sprightly 69!
You may have been on a reserve list of people to be invited at short notice in order to use up vaccine. G.P.s have been advised to compile reserve lists in case they receive more doses than are needed for appointments already made. People on a reserve list have to live within a certain travelling time/distance, be fit enough to get to the vaccination location and able to get there quickly. The person who phoned you may have contacted several people before you who weren't able to make it to the venue at short notice.
Well they didn't bother contacting me! :'(
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Care home residents, staff & outside care-workers were Scotland's priority. more or less completed!
My health board is starting age 65-79 on 1st Feb. Vaccination venues are leisure and community centres. There are to be 2 vaccination centres in my town, operating 12 hours a day. The main leisure centre near the town centre will be used for the first 7 days of February and a smaller leisure centre in the north of town will be open for 2 days later in the month. People will be invited to a centre depending on their postcode. Mine is the largest town in the district. Smaller towns will have a vaccination centre for 2 or 3 days, some villages for 1 day.
Meanwhile G.P.s are concentrating on housebound and vulnerable people.
All 70 + and 80+ on an island in the health board region were to be vaccinated in 1 batch. I assume that a team from the mainland would go. That would depend on weather gods being kind and ferries operating as normal.
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I've spent weeks last year trying to get on the official shielding list without success ad had no joy trying to find out what group I'm actually in for the vaccine. I suspected I was the final group as no shielding letters again so far this year. Finally managed to find an email address and tried a back door enquiry and some kind soul checked and let me know I'm not on any priority list and never have been.
Almost three years since a diagnosis of Stage 4 COPD, 5 heart attacks in a 10 month period and 15-20 overnight admissions from A&E since the first lockdown but I'm not on any risk/vulnerable list. If the calculator is to be believed I'm down for first jab in August and 2nd by mid November.
All of it down to my GP not forwarding info to the medical officer, if I could trust him not to lose my file going to another practice within the same medical centre I'd swap tomorrow but I've got my doubts he could manage it.
My "disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" persona is emerging with the complaint letters going far and wide.
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FYI - My OH got the text today to go online and book her jab. Wasn't expecting it quite yet, as she is Group 5 (65-69). Had a choice of two locations, and in the one she chose she could have even been "done" today, but as I had to get off work to drive her there, she accepted tomorrow.
Goes to show how well it is going (certainly around here)
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Seems like it's a postcode lottery. I've heard of quite a number of group five have had jabs or appointments in the very near future. Our area didn't start till well into January with care homes
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Definitely a post code lottery, which given l am going on 70, and have heard nothing yet, doesn't seem to be giving a nod to parity!!
And, where is "round here" ReadyDale?
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Definitely a post code lottery, which given l am going on 70, and have heard nothing yet, doesn't seem to be giving a nod to parity!!
And, where is "round here" ReadyDale?
West London suburbs
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Well the amount of vaccine thats been left out the fridge or the fridge has been switched off is getting ridiculous. Okay we knew there was always a chance especially with pfizer there could be problems but all that waste and expense! There's simple solutions e.g a notice Please do not switch off.
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Care home residents, staff & outside care-workers were Scotland's priority. more or less completed!
My health board is starting age 65-79 on 1st Feb. Vaccination venues are leisure and community centres. There are to be 2 vaccination centres in my town, operating 12 hours a day. The main leisure centre near the town centre will be used for the first 7 days of February and a smaller leisure centre in the north of town will be open for 2 days later in the month. People will be invited to a centre depending on their postcode. Mine is the largest town in the district. Smaller towns will have a vaccination centre for 2 or 3 days, some villages for 1 day.
Meanwhile G.P.s are concentrating on housebound and vulnerable people.
Just seen an update. Seems to have been a surge; "later in the month" has been brought forward to middle of month. Health board online calendar for 2nd half of month now has "to be advised" on every date, replacing venues in small towns and villages. Another update says unpaid carers should start getting their 1st jab later this month.
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NHS England have been publishing daily, weekly and monthly stats for vaccinations. They've published the latest weekly stats today, covering up to 31 Jan.
The high level numbers, for England as a whole, are below but the numbers by region (see spreadsheet in link) show it's pretty even across regions, at least for those 75+.
Given the high percentage of those aged 75+ that have received their first dose I'd expect the younger groups to get theirs in the near future.
NHS England
COVID-19 Vaccinations
Period 08 Dec 2020 to 31 Jan 2021:
70-74: 35%
75-79: 83%
80+: 88%
Period 08 Dec 2020 to 24 Jan 2021:
80+: 80%
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
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Had a phone call from my local health centre yesterday, both me and my OH are booked in for next Wednesday, we're both getting close to 71. :)
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We got called for ours, short notice, last Friday. Apparently it was a mistake.... but as we got vaccinated, we're not complaining, it was their mistake, not ours!
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Phone call on Mon, getting the jag at the local surgery next Tuesday! ;D
Skoosh.
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I got a letter on the 22nd January offering me a slot on 1st February at our local Community Health Centre. Brilliant I attended and was given my first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. My other half who is 5 years older than me heard nothing until yesterday when he got a call from our GP Surgery and he now has an appointment for Saturday morning at our practice. We fall unto different age categories evidently.
All said and done we are so lucky to have vaccines available and the logistics of delivering it to the whole of the UK are enormous. We will all get our "turn" at some point.
Stay safe
Dorrie
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They are doing a brilliant job.
Last week I got the nhs letter inviting me to apply miles away. Knew I could wait having read various items on news.
Monday got text from my surgery, and although it took all morning to get through, I was booked in for Wednesday.
Actual surgery being used was extremely well organised, and my jab was done by a retired partner of my own surgery!
FS
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Our local surgery is now vaccinating group 6 (18 to 64 years old with one of the conditions which make them more at risk). They say that group 5 (65 - 69 year olds) will have to wait for an invitation from NHS England and go to a mass vaccination centre. So we now have the situation where 30 year olds with one of the listed medical conditions are being invited for vaccination ahead of 69 year olds with that same medical condition. They say that has been dictated by NHS England.
Does that make any sense?
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It only makes sense if they have completed all those in the previous 5 groups:
Priority Risk groups
1 Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
2 All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3 All those 75 years of age and over
4 All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (not including pregnant women and those under 16 years of age)
5 All those 65 years of age and over
6 Adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group (see clinical conditions below)
7 All those 60 years of age and over
8 All those 55 years of age and over
9 All those 50 years of age and over
10 Rest of the population (to be determined)
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It only makes sense if they have completed all those in the previous 5 groups:
Priority Risk groups
1 Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
2 All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3 All those 75 years of age and over
4 All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (not including pregnant women and those under 16 years of age)
5 All those 65 years of age and over
6 Adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group (see clinical conditions below)
7 All those 60 years of age and over
8 All those 55 years of age and over
9 All those 50 years of age and over
10 Rest of the population (to be determined)
No they haven't that's exactly the point I'm making.
Younger people with listed clinical conditions are getting invitations whereas 65 - 69 year olds with the same listed conditions are not. Numerous examples posted on our practice's website today.
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Has anyone from the practice been asked why and given an answer?
I'm sure that I read recently that some of the vulnerable had been left off listings - not sure if it was nationally or specific areas.
I have nothing but praise for the roll out in our area. They are all so friendly and efficient.
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The ‘clinical conditions’ do look very serious.
Do the 65-69 yr olds with the same conditions fall into group 4?
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Is this what they are referring to:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2021/02/call-for-people-aged-70-and-over-to-contact-nhs-for-a-covid-jab/
People aged 70 and over who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID and who would like to be are today being asked to contact the NHS to arrange a jab.
Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first – and that remains the case for most people.
However, to ensure absolutely everyone is offered the vaccine, people aged 70 and over can now contact the NHS so they can be vaccinated by the middle of this month.
The easiest way to arrange a vaccination is through the national booking service which can be accessed at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.
The system allows patients to choose a time slot and location that suits them.
Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
If a suitable and convenient slot is not available people can also call their GP practice.......contd
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The ‘clinical conditions’ do look very serious.
Do the 65-69 yr olds with the same conditions fall into group 4?
No, 65 - 69 year olds with the listed conditions are in group 5, It is entirely based on their age irrespective of having any of the listed conditions, which would make them more vulnerable than a 65 - 69 year old without any underlying conditions.
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Is this what they are referring to:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2021/02/call-for-people-aged-70-and-over-to-contact-nhs-for-a-covid-jab/
People aged 70 and over who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID and who would like to be are today being asked to contact the NHS to arrange a jab.
Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first – and that remains the case for most people.
However, to ensure absolutely everyone is offered the vaccine, people aged 70 and over can now contact the NHS so they can be vaccinated by the middle of this month.
The easiest way to arrange a vaccination is through the national booking service which can be accessed at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.
The system allows patients to choose a time slot and location that suits them.
Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
If a suitable and convenient slot is not available people can also call their GP practice.......contd
No, our practice has finished groups 1 to 4 and have now jumped to group 6.
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Has anyone from the practice been asked why and given an answer?
Yes I have
This is the answer
"XXXX Medical Practices are following instructions from NHS England. They have instructed us to go from cohort 4 to cohort 6. Cohort 5 patients will be vaccinated separately and will receive a letter from NHS England indicating what they need to do. Again, this is a decision made by NHS England, and not XXXX Medical Practices.
I hope that NHS England will be in contact with cohort 5 in the very near future."
Plenty of people in group 6 on the Practice website this morning saying they had an invitation, some mentioning they were in their 30's.
If I were 4 years younger I would be in group 6 and qualify for an invitation
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Well the amount of vaccine thats been left out the fridge or the fridge has been switched off is getting ridiculous. Okay we knew there was always a chance especially with pfizer there could be problems but all that waste and expense! There's simple solutions e.g a notice Please do not switch off.
I used to work in a blood transfusion laboratory where we kept blood in fridges which had continuously recorded temperatures. We had to keep these paper record sheets for years. Once the blood had been crossmatched, left the lab & went to the wards & was signed over, it was disheartening to see how cavalierly it was treated. And some wasted, just like the vaccines.
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Is this what they are referring to:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/2021/02/call-for-people-aged-70-and-over-to-contact-nhs-for-a-covid-jab/
It says GP practices have been asked to contact their extremely vulnerable patients. Those are the one with clinical conditions which puts them into group 4 along with 70+ age group.
The target for NHS England was to offer 1st vaccination to everyone in the 4 priority groups by mid February, which is Sunday. That's why people 70 and over who haven't received an invitation were told this week to contact their GP practice. NHS Scotland gave the same message.
GPs in Scotland did care homes and are now visiting housebound people in their own homes. I suppose that includes clinically extremely vulnerable people.
I'd assumed that the rest of the Scottish population under 80 would be done in 5 year batches. I wasn't expecting a communication until March or April. However my health board has bundled some 5 year groups together for mass vaccinations. Centres opened in each of the 3 districts in the county on 1st Feb., starting with main towns in each district, progressing to smaller towns and villages later in the month. I thought I would be "done" towards the end of the month. Rapid change of plan last week. Venues for 2nd half of month brought forward to 1st half and a community centre in 1 town was found to be unsuitable and people from there have been invited to the main leisure centre in the nearby bigger town, a shuttle bus being provided for those without transport. Press release said people might only get a day's notice so they should prepare by having a travel plan. Since that news I've been watching out for the postman who now delivers late afternoon. Letter arrived Monday for Friday morning appointment. I need to catch 2 buses to get to the leisure centre, which, although in my postcode, is less convenient than the leisure centre in the other postcode. A friend, a few years older than me has an appointment tomorrow.
Due to the speed of roll-out in England and Scotland, intervals between groups 4 and 5 are likely to be minimal.
GPs and their representatives whom I heard being interviewed in January and early this month said that their main problem was supply of vaccine e.g. not arriving when expected or delivered at short notice.
Just seen more posts but don't have time to change this.
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In my area (Norfolk) the 65+ are now being called. On my Italian Zoom yesterday we (the 70+) were all saying that we'd been jabbed & the one couple in our group who are 67 & 69 said they would patiently wait their turn - then his phone rang, he went out of the room to answer & came back very excited - he'd got an appointment at his local surgery!
LizzieL - all along the government has repeatedly quoted that list. If the goalposts have changed people should be told publicly. My brother has a serious condition & at 67 was hopeful his turn would be soon. :(
Pat
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My sister (group 6, Suffolk) has hers on Saturday
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I am in Group 5 and had a phonecall from my GP Surgery yesterday to book an appointment for next Monday -- so certainly not all GPs are skipping Group 5
(High Peak, Derbyshire)
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Cohort 5 patients will be vaccinated separately and will receive a letter from NHS England indicating what they need to do. Again, this is a decision made by NHS England, and not XXXX Medical Practices.
I hope that NHS England will be in contact with cohort 5 in the very near future."
It sounds to me that you'll soon receive an invitation to a mass vaccination centre.
The targets were first 4 groups to receive 1st jab by mid Feb. and groups 5-9 by start of summer (late May?). 1st target has been nearly met.
The change may be due to more younger people being admitted to hospital.
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My sister (group 6, Suffolk) has hers on Saturday
My niece (Bloomsbury), aged 51, not vulnerable, had her's on Monday morning.
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Looks like it's a post code lottery again
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Looks like it's a post code lottery again
Not necessarily. It could be a feature of the practice's age profile, for example. My niece lives in an area of central London where there is a high proportion of student residences. Thus, the particular practice's age profile is skewed. At over 50, she is in their older category.
add - also, many of the students would be at home.
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I had my 1st Covid Jab on Monday.I'm in the over 65 age group.The hospital rang me lunch time on Sunday and asked if I wanted to go on Sunday,I told them I couldn't get there as I would have to catch 2 bus's. I went on Monday as a friend gave me a lift as we had snow on the ground(I'm in Norfolk) The hospital told me my surgery had given the hospital a list of people ready for their jabs and I was one of them,The funny thing was on Tuesday I had a phone call from my surgery asking if I wanted to go that day for my Jab,I told them I had it done at the hospital on Monday and she said ok i'll mark you as done lol Going back in April for my 2nd Jab
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Looks like it's a post code lottery again
Not necessarily. It could be a feature of the practice's age profile, for example. My niece lives in an area of central London where there is a high proportion of student residences. Thus, the particular practice's age profile is skewed. At over 50, she is in their older category.
add - also, many of the students would be at home.
Median age according to various websites is between 42 and 44 so a bit higher than average which I've seen quoted as 39.
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Lizzie
There is a difference between the average age of ?? (you don't say) and a particular practice profile. Individual practices deviate from the mean.
Also, I see you use median - that is the mid point of a distribution not the mean (average)
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Lizzie
There is a difference between the average age of ?? (you don't say) and a particular practice profile. Individual practices deviate from the mean.
Also, I see you use median - that is the mid point of a distribution not the mean (average)
42 to 44 is from several postcodes of the villages covered by our practice. I have looked at several websites, none give the distribution unfortunately. Some quote average / mean, some quote median, although not sure if they think it is the same thing. But it seems that our area is a little above the national mean or median.
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Amazed to get the invite text this morning and booked in for tomorrow. Wasn't expecting it for another 6-8 weeks (group 8, West London). :o
I had heard that the local surgery who are organising the slots (but not doing the jab itself) were having big problems filling slots, owing to reluctance among some minorities.
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Good news just had call from surgery, got appointment on Saturday at the surgery not miles away at a mass hub. They said they had more appointments than expected. I bet I wouldn't have got it if I hadn't made a bit of a fuss after hearing they had invited people less than half my age earlier this week
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Lizzie, reply #75. The surgery may be telling the truth. They sometimes don't know until the vaccine arrives and they start administering it, how many doses they can get out of it. That was a reason for reports last month about wasted doses. There was some left over at the end of the day because there were more doses than people.
It may be that fewer people in group 6 than anticipated are in your practice.
Scottish health minister announced today that Scottish programme will slow down because there's a delay in Pfizer supply. She's confident all over 70's will be done by Sunday as planned. The 2nd half of the calendar for my health board has had "to be advised" on every date since last week.
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Good evening,
I am at the tail end of group 4, I received my letter at midday sat and logged straight onto the nhs.uk site. It asks where you want to go for the jab and gives a list starting with the closest. It gives you the first 5 days available so I chose monday. It then says am or pm and as the car was booked for MOT in the am I chose pm. It then gives you the first times available so I took the first one at 1405. Then same process for second jab which is now booked for apr 27th at 1425.
Took car for MOT and then walked to daughters. She took me to Crawley hospital vaccination centre where I queued for about 20 mins. Called to a cubicle where they ask a few questions then had to wait while the nurse on the computor went off to make an enquiry about me with the doctor. I'm allurgic to aspirin but that was fine and the other very nice young lady stuck a needle in my arm and that was it.
Quite a few of the vaccinators were RAMC but on questioning mine was aircrew cabin staff. They all receive medical training, some higher level than others. Being furloughed at the moment she volunteered to give jabs when the request went out.
All who said they had driven themselves were asked to wait 15 mins before leaving. The remainder were released straight away.
Now OH is moaning because she is waiting for hers still. Unfortunately, she is group 5.
I believe wastage is kept to a minimum. At Crawley they only get x no of doses out at one time, astra zeneca in this instance. But I have read several reports of left over vaccine. The first I saw said they had 3 doses left at the end of the day. So someone went out and grabbed some nearby police officers who got theirs done early. Another report, by a doctor, said they were throwing away 3 or more doses at the end of every day. He said that if that was repeated at all 300 or so centres that was far too much wastage. It would seem to me that his crew need to sort themselves out and make more effort not to waste it but grab anyone nearby who requires it.
John915
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Lizzie, reply #75. The surgery may be telling the truth. They sometimes don't know until the vaccine arrives and they start administering it, how many doses they can get out of it. That was a reason for reports last month about wasted doses. There was some left over at the end of the day because there were more doses than people.
It may be that fewer people in group 6 than anticipated are in your practice.
Scottish health minister announced today that Scottish programme will slow down because there's a delay in Pfizer supply. She's confident all over 70's will be done by Sunday as planned. The 2nd half of the calendar for my health board has had "to be advised" on every date since last week.
they said on their website they had 1000 doses this week and had 6000 people in total in group 6. Obviously they would not have invited all 6000 in one go on Tuesday when they knew the amount of vaccine available.
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Latest numbers from NHS England for first doses given. High-level numbers below, regional numbers in spreadsheets in link.
Period 08 Dec 2020 to 07 Feb 2021:
70-74: 74%
75-79: 96%
80+: 91%
Period 08 Dec 2020 to 31 Jan 2021:
70-74: 35%
75-79: 83%
80+: 88%
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
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My brother & my friend both 67, got their letters today, appointments made.
Impressive progress in an area that was way behind in January!
Pat
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Good evening,
OH is happy now, she has her first jab booked. Oddly, she had a msg from our surgery at lunch time yesterday telling her she could now have it. It told her to go online to book it but it wasn't the same site that I used. She was only able to book the first one which she did for mon morning.
Then about 10 mins later the post came and she had a letter the same as mine saying she could go and book it online as I did. I told her to cancel the other one and go online and book both jabs but she wouldn't.
I said in an earlier reply that there were 300 centres but that was early days. I saw last night that we now have 1240 centres open with still more to come.
John915
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NHS website is now booking jabs for anyone over 65. You just need to go on the NHS website and you can book both your first and second jabs - you don't need a GP letter as long as you are in the category.
Did mine this evening for next week and the first week in May.
Pheno
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I think I may have to resort to booking online at the nearest centre. I am nearly 68 , same age as my husband . He had his GP invitation last week , along with several of our younger neighbours. I have heard nothing . ( He's had the NHS letter as well and I haven't. ) Perhaps it's because I haven't seen a GP for years. ;D
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Its not really resorting Christine - it is what they are now asking the over 65's to do.
Pheno
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I am over 70 and booked an apppointnent online last week having heard nothing from the surgery Excellant service and given a date for the second vaccine. I wished I had done it earlier in the month
Kay
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I decided to book online and to my surprise have my first appointment on Thursday at a pharmacy 20 minutes away and the second appointment booked for May. It was indeed an excellent service , as Kay99 says .
Now I can stop fretting ! ::)
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When OH and I had our first shot, just over 2 weeks ago, via a short-notice telephone call, we were given a card, yes .... but no date for the second shot. Should I be worrying?
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When OH and I had our first shot, just over 2 weeks ago, via a short-notice telephone call, we were given a card, yes .... but no date for the second shot. Should I be worrying?
I had my 1st vaccine on 22nd January at a local surgery and organised by my surgery. I got no 2nd appt. I asked the doctor who administered the jab and she just replied: ‘Yes, between 3 and 12 weeks.
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Very pleased you have stopped fretting Chistine ;D
TY - The online service automatically asks you if want to book the second appointment with them. I presume with the surgery will contact you nearer the date for the second vaccine as they know they have supplies available so don't worry
Kay
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no date for the second shot. Should I be worrying?
Did you have the Pfizer TY?? Everyone I know who had that didn't get a second appointment but all who have had AstraZeneca [including myself & Mr Josey] got a second date, Might be to do with whether supply is more, or less, certain.
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Did you have the Pfizer TY?? Everyone I know who had that didn't get a second appointment but all who have had AstraZeneca [including myself & Mr Josey] for a second date
My husband had the Oxford/Astra Zeneca, he wasn’t given a second date, simply told he would be called again within 12 weeks.
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A friend enquired from her surgery who arranged her jab and was told surgery appointments will not organise 2nd shots too far in advance as they don't want the hassle of changing them at a later date so will wait till just before it is due.
The ones made online can easily be changed by going online. Also as they know what slots are taken up further down the line they won't offer them as 1st jab options to lower age groups.
Those made at a later date by the surgery will have to intermingle with the 1st shots of the appropriate age group at that date.
I have also been made aware of independent advice re alcohol. Suggestion is that you should avoid alcohol for 24 hours prior to jab and for 2 weeks after. It doesn't apparently affect the efficacy of the vaccine but allows your body to create antibodies more quickly and stronger too.
No idea about the veracity of this statement.
Pheno
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Had Astra Zeneca, not Pfizer. Didn't think about alcohol - we had normal glass of red with dinner. Ah well.
As we got called at almost no notice, then hope previous night's glass of red had worked through system......
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Just booked mine for Tuesday. Online didn’t have my local centre unfortunately but I will look forward to a little car journey ;D. 2nd shot booked in 1st week of May.
Quite relieved to be having it as I just squeaked into this group by days ;D
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That makes it clear, Pheno, thanks. Interesting about the alcohol advice, will wait for further research.
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There's something here:
https://inews.co.uk/news/health/drink-alcohol-covid-vaccine-can-after-advice-safety-coronavirus-jab-vaccination-870149
add - and similar here
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/professionals/press/drinkaware-issues-precautionary-advice-about-alcohol-and-the-covid-19-vaccine
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Gulp!
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TY - The online service automatically asks you if want to book the second appointment with them. I presume with the surgery will contact you nearer the date for the second vaccine as they know they have supplies available so don't worry
Had 1st jab (Astra Zeneca) on Friday morning at a local leisure centre, the mass vaccination venue for my postcode, organised by the regional health board. Received a letter last Monday afternoon with appointment. After I'd been jabbed, the vaccinator handed me a leaflet and I asked her if it included date of 2nd jab. She said I would be contacted when it was due. A young woman took my personal details including phone number before escorting me across the hall to the jab queue. I expect I'll receive a phone call or another letter in April or May. (The young woman works at the airport in real life.)
I wasn't expecting 1st jab until March or April. Scotland speeded up in February once a reliable supply of vaccine was secured. It seemed I might get an appointment late Feb. Then my health board did another fast-forward, rescheduling appointments in my postcode to mid. Feb. Scotland has gone beyond the target of top 4 priority categories by today as different age groups have been batched together in some places for the sake of efficiency & speed.
Roll-out in Scotland is now going to slow temporarily due to a pause in Pfizer production, before "ramping-up" again when Pfizer production increases. Vaccination calendar on health board website now has "to be advised" for every date in 2nd half of Feb.
Heard interview with someone this morning about how NHS England will be able to give 2nd doses while also giving 1st doses to age 50 -69. She was confident, suggesting that each vaccination day could be divided into 2 halves for 2nd doses and 1st doses.
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Went with OH to his appointment this morning. The marshall on carpark duty assumed were were both booked in. I said I hadn't had an invitation from my GP and she said it was an Astra zeneca day and they had spare capacity if I wanted to go in . I decided to stick with my appointment at the pharmacy on Thursday as I also have an appointment for the second jab ( and I had tight sleeves on which I didn't think I could roll up far enough ). OH said it all went really smoothly - he was certainly out quickly .
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Can anyone help?
I am trying to find information about attending hospital/doctor appointments when you have just had your vaccination. I had mine on Thursday.
No matter what I try I can't find the information I am looking for and the leaflet I had doesn't tell me anything about attending NHS appointments.
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There isn't any mention of this in the leaflets , as you've said , but it hadn't occurred to me that it would be an issue - or is it that you don't want to attend until you immunity has built up ?
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GG - possible stupid question! Would you attend your hospital/doctor appointment IF you had not yet had your first jab?
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I have three appointments over the next two weeks. Two are hospital ones and one is a doctor one.
You would have thought there would be information about that in the leaflet, but there is absolutely nothing. Not very helpful.
Perhaps another Rootschatter may know. I just don't know where to look for the information :-[
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Perhaps a call to the hospital might help you make the decisions.
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If you are worried about it why not ring the hospital and ask ? I don't really understand why you think it is an issue . Probably me being dense.
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I had a hospital consultant appointment 5 days after my first jab. No problem.
I’m unclear why you are concerned?
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Yes BumbleB I would do so. You would have thought that the NHS would make that information clear so that you know where you are.
Christine, I just want to be sure that it is safe for me to attend the hospital/doctors.
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Jen B, that is good to know. I am going for a CT scan, my last one was in 2016. I remember being given some horrible tasting drink which I refused and instead had the liquid through my arm instead.
I don't know why they offered a diabetic an extremely sugary drink. One wonders how well your medical notes are read ::)
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Whether you have had your first jab or not, you still have to adhere to the rules laid down by hospital or doctor.
I had my first vaccination on 23 January and since then I have attended the local GP surgery for a blood test, my dentist and two visits to hospital (MRI and CT scans). I still had to take all the necessary precautions, mask, hand sanitation and rules laid down in each location.
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So it sounds like you can attend appointments but do all the usual precautions as stipulated by the NHS.
Why on earth couldn't they make that clear in the vaccination leaflet that I had ::) Information is all very well but if it has gaps you are left wondering what you are supposed to do. I shouldn't be having to ring to find that out. It seems like assumptions were made or the information is there but hard to find!
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GG,
I would ring the radiology department . As you are likely to have an infusion injected in your arm the vaccine might have an effect on how the infusion works.
My husband has been having 3 monthly scans for the last year, ct and mri, and this question has come up in the fib groups I belong to. I think, from memory, you should wait 7 days after the vaccination, but I would double check with the radiology dept to be sure. Same phone number that is on your letter that you confirm your appointment.
If you were not having any other blood work done then there shouldn’t be a problem with a normal consultation appointment.
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Thank you for that jc.
In theory it will be the eighth day after my vaccination. I will ring the department to double check that it is okay to have the scan.
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I’m sure it will be ok but always worth checking.
I had my vaccine 6 days ago and I’m still feeling nauseous and have a large egg shaped swelling on my arm which is hot. It came up after 4 days and strangely not on the injection site!
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I've just checked and they say that is fine, still keep the appointment.
I didn't feel too good after my vaccination. The day I had it I was fine, then next day arm started to hurt, got a headache and boy, did I get hot! I felt as though I had been plonked in front of a roaring fire from which I could not escape. :o Still feeling tired so I guess having some naps in the day will help. I just hope that when I have the second vaccination the reaction is rather milder.
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jcred & Girl Guide replies 113 & 114. Have you reported your side effects via the yellow card system? Public Health England compile weekly statistics.
Had mine 10 days ago. Sore arm & shoulder for a few days - had to use other arm if I needed to stretch above my head to reach something. Slight headache & muscle ache one day but those may not have been caused by vaccination.
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Hi Maiden Stone, yes I have reported the side effects to the yellow card system.
It was still worth the discomfort, the benefits far out way the few days of feeling under the weather.
Jenny
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It was still worth the discomfort, the benefits far out way the few days of feeling under the weather.
I agree, even more so after report today of reduction in hospital admissions of vaccinated age groups in Scotland.
I looked up the PHE report on Covid-19 vaccine side effects after seeing a scare story shared by someone who proclaims himself an anti-vaxxer. The alarmist story cited PHE as source. I went to PHE website and found nothing to disturb me.
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Has anyone had their second vaccination? If so was the reaction to that the same as for the first or milder?
I've felt pretty grotty from my first one :'(, still don't feel right yet and not therefore keen to have a repeat session from the second vaccination.
Any views on this will be read with interest - thank you.
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When I had my first (and only one to date) the doctor said that the reaction to the second one could be worse than the first.
Thankfully I had very little discomfort from mine.
My husband has had both his vaccinations. The first one caused a little stiffness in the upper arm and he had no ill effects with the second.
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Husband and I had the Astrazeneca jab . I expected to sail through with a bit of a sore arm but we were both floored by the side effects. Second jabs will be " interesting ". ???
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I had the AstraZeneca almost 3 weeks ago with no side effects apart from feeling a bit nauseous for a day. No pain at all in my arm. Everyone else I know who had that one was fine as well, those who had the Pfizer complained more about a sore arm.
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We had the Pfizer but my sister in law who had the Astra Zeneca was nauseous and had a very bad headache into the second day.
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Seems to be quite a variety of side effects from the first one. Not too keen on the suggestion that the second could be worse than the first :-[
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I've heard of several others who had a bad reaction to the AZ jab. I had headache , dizziness , joint and muscle pain , shivering and uncontrollable trembling , stomachache , loss of appetite and fatigue. It was pretty unpleasant but worth it. At least I won't be surprised second time around. ;D
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Not too keen on that either. I haven't had one yet but my father who is 94 has his second one next week. He was very tired after the first one 2 days before Christmas so will be keeping a close eye.
His second one in Jan got cancelled and he was told the new date over the phone.
I wonder has anyone in this situation - ie no little card with the second appointment on - had a reminder as he isn't 100% sure of the details?
I wrote it down as soon as he told me so hoping it is correct.
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Millipede, where is your dad having the second jab? Are you able to phone to double check the date?
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Has anyone had their second vaccination? If so was the reaction to that the same as for the first or milder?
I've felt pretty grotty from my first one :'(, still don't feel right yet and not therefore keen to have a repeat session from the second vaccination.
Any views on this will be read with interest - thank you.
"Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine adverse reactions
Weekly update"
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions
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Thanks for the link Maiden Stone. Useful information.
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Moving away from side-effects, how concerned should we be about the uneven roll-out of the vaccine across the country?
My local GP practice (NW England) is running vaccination clinics at the civic hall, but their website says "We have been instructed by NHS England NOT to invite patients in the 65-69 age group (cohort 5) for vaccination at our centre in xxx", and instead that group are told to use the NHS website to book an appointment at one of the larger sites about 8-10 miles away. (The NHS site actually says you can use the service if you're 64 or over.)
Meanwhile, the local GP practice is vaccinating group 6, but in the first two weeks, ending this coming weekend, they expected to receive enough vaccine for only about half of those in that group. They are also saying that they are not making appointments for second jabs at present.
I'm in group 7 and patiently waiting my turn, and I certainly don't begrudge those in groups 1-6 going ahead of me. However, it was a bit galling to hear a London GP on TV yesterday saying that her practice had already moved on to group 8. That doesn't seem right to me - does anyone know what's going on?
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A friend of mine who is 56 has her appointment for the vaccine on Saturday. She falls into group 8. Does seem to be a postcode lottery! :-\
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There does seem to be an uneven roll-out. I had my first jab this morning. I’m guessing it was groups 5 and 6 due to the mix of ages waiting either to be done or in the 15 minute wait group. Our surgery have been excellent and are taking people from a very wide area.
A younger friend age 53 who lives in London had his jab at a hub yesterday. He has no health issues.
The letter that I received was different from the one my husband had..seems you could only book at a hub if you’d received the letter and preferred that to your GP surgery.
We both had our second jab date booked along with the first.
However, the surgery 5 miles away are at the moment only giving the first jab. Friends who had theirs in mid December have been told to expect their second in April.
Seems there is no rhyme or reason. :-\
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I booked mine online after I'd had a letter and was able to book a second appointment at the same time at a hub. It seems that those who were invited via phone call or text haven't had this option. Surely those who had the vaccine in December should be due for the second before April - that's longer than 12 weeks? I had mine 4th Feb and second is due 27th April which is just under the 12 weeks.
I do think it varies where you live, I'm in the SE of England but know people in Sunderland who are younger than I am, yet had it before me. Pot luck.
I was speaking to my window cleaner yesterday and he said that people are registering at hubs, who then call them at short notice if they have any left over at the end of the day. That seems a good idea, better than wasting it.
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It's definitely a lottery! My daughter who is an NHS nurse should have had hers this morning. It was cancelled due to 'over whelming demand'. Seems the demand can't be that high though if my 56 year old friend with no health issues has hers booked in.
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Well learning disabilities however slight or extensive have now been prioritised as previously apparently only downs sydrome was prioritised. They did n't say whether their carers are prioritised but i suspect they are whether the relative is in an institution or not. So group 7 could be waiting even longer. Guess which group i'm in. I'm 64 coming 65 in november so arthurk you are not alone! I don't begrudge them either.
Unbelievable is n't it that care staff willing to have the vaccine are still waiting. The place of work has a responsibilty for their health and safety what are they doing (probably inundated with covid).
jean
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This nhs site says if you are eligible you can book online, you don’t have to wait for an invitation.
If you are 64 or over you are eligible
Only at a mass centre tho, not a local GP one
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01qcp/
Mike
Added: You need to scroll down to “how to get your vaccine, where it specifically says you do not need to wait for a letter
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We were called by 'phone, very short notice, to a nearby city - and at the time I asked about a second shot date, as nothing was filled in on the tiny card - does that mean I'm likely to have to wait and get another short notice 'phone call, and drive over?
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i know you don't have to wait on a letter so thanks the website does mention 64. As far as i was aware it was the 16-64 vunerable category which Gps are supposed to be concentrating on and the over 65's. So thank you as the last time i looked it did say over 65's. I was annoyed as one of my friends (ex nurse) who has been trying to find all sorts of excuses not to have it is now gonna complain vaccine certs and covid app is breaching covid 19 act and she's gonna be made to have it by default to go on holiday!
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Oh dear -
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/24/doctor-stood-down-after-two-brisbane-nursing-home-residents-given-excessive-dose-of-pfizer-vaccine
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Oh dear - well done - a British newspaper spreading anti-vaccine news! Makes you wonder whether anyone wants this dreadful Covid to disappear. :-X :-X
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Oh dear - well done - a British newspaper spreading anti-vaccine news! Makes you wonder whether anyone wants this dreadful Covid to disappear. :-X :-X
What a strange conclusion.
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My conclusion is because there appears to be much more anti-vaccine news than positive news. AND we all know that for the newspapers "good news is no news" - I did work for a newspaper in the past!
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Our NHS hub is crying out for people to be vaccinated.
Facebook messages asking for the over 60's to book now and even the under 60's. They have more capacity and vaccine than they know what to do with.
Pheno
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My conclusion is because there appears to be much more anti-vaccine news than positive news. AND we all know that for the newspapers "good news is no news" - I did work for a newspaper in the past!
??? ??? ???
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I rather thought that good news is something to enjoy. :D Relieves the tedium of hearing doom and gloom all the time. :'(
Perhaps the phrase "no news is slow news" might be better?
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How,s this for efficient service :D
2.50pm today phone call from local GP surgery to my OH (in 60-64 age group) - can you come immediately to local church hall for your vaccination. Yes indeed - 3.15pm has vaccination.
Had mine back on the 4th and at large vaccination centre (65-69 group) and second one due on 15th April. Vaccinations going great guns in NI.
KG
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Another thought came to me about the apparently uneven distribution of the vaccines: might they be deliberately directing supplies to the areas where people are thought to be most at risk? If so, it would be nice to be told - while I might not like it, I could at least understand why.
In the absence of an explanation, it risks being seen as incompetence, or worse.
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Another thought came to me about the apparently uneven distribution of the vaccines: might they be deliberately directing supplies to the areas where people are thought to be most at risk? If so, it would be nice to be told - while I might not like it, I could at least understand why.
In the absence of an explanation, it risks being seen as incompetence, or worse.
I think it is down to the logistics of the Pfizer vaccine, our GP hub has hired a sports centre, it’s the largest one in the county, but still cannot process 970 doses a day, so has to share a batch with another hub nearby, so both hubs have to rustle up a lot of patients at short notice.
Mike
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I wonder how they choose who will get an invitation for a vaccine, and when?
Both hubby and I are in group 6.
I’m 54 and T1 diabetic, got my invitation by text message yesterday, and booked online for next Wednesday.
Hubby is 59, a bit overweight, and T2 diabetic- he’s heard nothing.
On the one hand T1 diabetes is more severe, but on the other being male, older and overweight aren’t in his favour.
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Millipede, where is your dad having the second jab? Are you able to phone to double check the date?
The first one was in a building next to the main hospital so presume the second one will be in the same place. Expect it will be fine (fingers crossed)
I haven't had one yet nor has my husband but his 2 youngest brothers (50's) have.
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G'day from South Australia.
I hope you are all keeping well.
Australia began immunisations this week, frontline workers and the elderly in nursing homes.
All very well....except on day 3 a Queensland doctor injected two elderly people with 4 times as much vaccine as they were supposed to have.
They are in hospital and the doctor stood down. He did not complete the instruction course!
A nurse picked it up....yay for nurses!
Aussie does not have vaccine here for everyone yet, on the other hand, we are fairly well , with few cases.
Onwards and upwards!!!
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I have to say I don't understand why people keep saying that they haven't had their jab yet when they feel they are in a category that should have been called.
If you are concerned, and I assume you must be by mentioning it, then go on the NHS website and book your jab - you do not need to wait for a GP letter/text/phone call. If you are eligible you can book through the NHS site - it won't accept your booking if you are outside the current remit of the hub.
Pheno
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I have to say I don't understand why people keep saying that they haven't had their jab yet when they feel they are in a category that should have been called.
If you are concerned, and I assume you must be by mentioning it, then go on the NHS website and book your jab - you do not need to wait for a GP letter/text/phone call. If you are eligible you can book through the NHS site - it won't accept your booking if you are outside the current remit of the hub.
Pheno
I think we’re all just looking forward to the day when we can feel, if not be, back to some kind of normality. And having the jab feels like a step in that direction.
You’ll always get some who feel that life’s unfair... ::)
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If the question I raised was about fairness, then it's more than just a feeling.
I consider that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation have done a good job in working out the order in which people should receive the vaccine, so surely anyone who deviates from that order should be able to justify it.
As one of those in group 7, I do feel a bit miffed that other parts of the country are now on to group 8. But when in my local area they're currently doing group 5 in larger centralised facilities and the GP practice is only part way through group 6, can you suggest a better word than unfair?
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Good afternoon,
The order of giving the vaccination and how far through various areas have got is down to population demographics. Some areas have a much larger older population so take longer to get through them . Whereas some areas were finished the first 4 groups.
A couple of weeks or so ago the gov stopped them from starting the next group so that others could catch up. It was stopped for a week but I don't know how closely those areas kept to that ruling. It was supposed to help alleviate the unfairness now apparent in some places.
Daughter had her first yesterday, she is 40 but is a registered carer because of having 2 autistic children. She discovered a new side effect, OH phoned her this morning to see how she is. She said, " I have a slight headache and feel a little hot but more worryingly, I cleaned the windows" . 😁😁😄
John915
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" I have a slight headache and feel a little hot but more worryingly, I cleaned the windows"
Love that John ;D ;D ;D
One of my side effects included feeling VERY hot :o
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.... and I still can't find out if/when I'll get informed where/when to get the top-up dose!!
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Good afternoon,
.... and I still can't find out if/when I'll get informed where/when to get the top-up dose!!
I think we were a little misled at the start. As far as I can see it was always the case that the 2nd dose had to be given between 3 and 12 weeks. However, the powers that be said that when vaccinations started it would be 3 weeks between the 2. The media have stuck to that time frame even though it was quickly realised that it wouldn't work so it was made 12 weeks as standard.
If you received a letter from NHS UK telling you to go online and book you got both dates. As you go through the process it tells you the first 5 available dates and you choose one. It gives you the first 5 available time slots for that date. It gives you a choice of venues starting with the closest. So I got Crawley hospital, the Brighton centre, Epsom race course followed by several getting progressively further away.
If as OH got, which was a msg from the surgery, you log on to an NHS satelite booking site. On this you can only book the first date and at the nearest local vaccination centre which for OH was Claire Hall in Haywards Heath. Oddly, not on my list of venues but about the same distance as mine.
So for anyone worried about their 2nd jab that is not already booked I think you will get notification in the same way as the first and it will be 12 weeks after the first give or take a couple of days. So if your first was 1st feb your 2nd will be 20th apr give or take.
John915
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I'd agree with John915. OH did his online after receiving a letter, and has both dates. I was contacted by our GP surgery by phone, and I've had the first jab, but so far no date for the second.
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As I said previously, I had a letter, booked on line and was given a choice of places ranging from 4 miles away to about 30. I was also requested to book the second dose at the same time and was asked if I wanted the same venue or to choose another. The date of the second dose is written on the little card they gave me, with the date and batch number of the first.
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As I said previously, I had a letter, booked on line and was given a choice of places ranging from 4 miles away to about 30.
OH went on line to book and there was also 4 choices of places, all more than 70 miles away and in difficult to get to places, so didn't continue with the booking. GP surgery called the next day to arrange a jab at the local GP hub. There are 2 hubs in the city and neither were a choice on the NHS site.
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I don't think GP hubs are offered for online booking. My closest location was a community pharmacy in the next county , but only half an hour away , and next a football stadium. My husband was invited by text to the local GP hub - they didn't invite me although we are the same age.
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My experience: We were invited to book at local hub two weeks ago, by text from GP surgery. (our group is 65-70, no major conditions). We got AZ vaccine.
We have not had invite for second dose. On the booking website I entered my details and was offered a slot at end of April, at local pharmacy. This is about ten weeks after first jab. I did not book, but choose to wait for another text invite.
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My mother-in-law had her first jab just after Christmas in her care home. She is having her 2nd jab next Wednesday.
The care home didn’t have a date for the second round of jabs until today.
Jenny
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Thanks, John915, as always, you are clear to understand. I'd arrived at a date of April20th-ish myself, BUT I wondered if there may be problems, as we received our injections after a 'phone call bidding us to attend a centre several miles distant - our longest journey during "Lockdown", and quite exciting to get out! Will we ha contacted by that distant place, or from our own GP's surgery - we got "the letter" from them, the day after we'd been "done", inviting us to select a date and venue, but of course we'd already been vaccinated.
TY
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Update yesterday by my health board in Scotland. Now doing group 6. Says this is a large group. GPs are continuing to do clinically vulnerable and housebound. Online calendar filled again with local mass vaccination centres last week Feb. and 1st week March. People get a letter with an appointment for a centre according to their postcode. Instruction on letter on how to change appointment if not convenient. I attended the appointment I was given. Simple. Says on website not to phone your GP unless you're in a group which has been done and you didn't receive an invitation.
I got my jab earlier than I expected because health board has been doing 2 age groups together if it's more efficient to do so. Second doses start 2nd week in March.
I've calculated that I should get a letter with appointment for 2nd jab by 1st week May. Scottish election that week. Can I cope with so much excitement in 1 week?
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Good afternoon,
Thanks, John915, as always, you are clear to understand. I'd arrived at a date of April20th-ish myself, BUT I wondered if there may be problems, as we received our injections after a 'phone call bidding us to attend a centre several miles distant - our longest journey during "Lockdown", and quite exciting to get out! Will we ha contacted by that distant place, or from our own GP's surgery - we got "the letter" from them, the day after we'd been "done", inviting us to select a date and venue, but of course we'd already been vaccinated.
TY
The system used seems to vary, some surgerys text msg, some ring, some both just to be sure. They tend not to e-mail it seems because of the danger of it going straight to spam.
I have our surgery reception no in my contacts but when they call or msg it's usually from the back office or a dr. All these come up as "private no". If I miss the call i'm unable to call back direct but have to go through the front desk. That can mean waiting in a Q for sometime. Therein lies part of the problem, some people choose to set their phones to reject unknown callers.
I think though that you will be contacted by the same means as before. But how soon before your date is anyones guess.
John915
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I had my injection at the Local GP hub after a telephone call from my doctors surgery, I was told at the 'hub' if I had not been contacted with a date for the next jab within 10 weeks to phone my GP.
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Glasgow & Clyde handing out jags, no jabs on offer! ;D
Skoosh.
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Glasgow & Clyde handing out jags, no jabs on offer! ;D
Skoosh.
I would not mind if they were handing out Jags (Jaguar motor cars) in England :)
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Glasgow & Clyde handing out jags, no jabs on offer! ;D
Skoosh.
I would not mind if they were handing out Jags (Jaguar motor cars) in England :)
I'll put my name down for one now and collect the second in 12 weeks. ;D ;D ;D
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Had my first Pfizer one nearly 4 wks ago now O.H had his 5 weeks ago but we’ve no option to book the second one yet...
We had our notification via an sms message... this took you to a web site for our surgery and option of two venues to receive said vaccination....
Just worrying slightly that there’s not been any mention of second vaccinations and there seem to be an awful lot of people who are going to need it over the coming weeks....
Cross fingers and hope... if heard nothing by wk 8 will be on the blower to the surgery I think to see how the land lies...
not sure if it’s because we had the Pfizer one and there are less available or what really....
It’s interesting to hear how each region seems to be running it.
Caroline
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I’m not going to be worrying about my second jab for a long time yet, I’m in group 3 and still waiting for my first. It’s hit and miss when those of us who are housebound get included.
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Text on the 10th, inviting me for jab on 14th at 10:10.
As I was telling OH, interrupted by phone call (land line), inviting her for jab on 14th at 10:10. Both at Jubilee Centre (6 miles away).
On the day we arrive at Centre far too early. But it makes no difference, book in, jab, jab, take a card each, out the back door, no loitering please maintain social distance. It was like a machine gun.
Back in car and off home. Put kettle on and look at clock - it was 10:10!
Roll on the next one!
Regards
Chas
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Big argument ensuing on our village Facebook page just now. Someone has started a petition to have all teachers and school staff vaccinated ahead of all other groups.
The OP actually had the gall to say that old people should stay at home and allow the young people to live and get on with their lives. If old people stayed home they wouldn’t need the jab. :o
You can imagine the uproar that has caused. I suspect his post will be gone by morning.
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Big argument ensuing on our village Facebook page just now. Someone has started a petition to have all teachers and school staff vaccinated ahead of all other groups.
The OP actually had the gall to say that old people should stay at home and allow the young people to live and get on with their lives. If old people stayed home they wouldn’t need the jab. :o
You can imagine the uproar that has caused. I suspect his post will be gone by morning.
Actually I quite support that idea, the fact that teachers and all key and frontline workers should have been done earlier. I would willingly have waited a bit longer if it meant schools could go back safely, police and firefighters wouldn't be at risk etc. Most older people, even though they have had their inoculations, are still quite happy to stay home as much as possible.
Whichever way it was done though, it wouldn't please everyone. We just have to trust that those who have decided the order have got it right.
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The trouble is EVERYBODY is a special case. Bus drivers have had high mortality. Same with dustbin men. What about all the Tesco/Sainsbury/Morrison/Asda/Aldi/Lidl/Co-op/ Local corner shop workers? Some of them come into contact with hundreds if not thousands every day.
SAGE has said that teachers are not a greater risk than the general population.
Regards
Chas
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However, if teachers and other school workers were vaccinated it might stop whole groups of children having to be sent home to self isolate every time a member of staff tested positive.
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But for the most part that's where the people who haven't yet been vaccinated are.
So the question is: keep the current people home longer or send groups of schoolchildren home?
As said previously it appears that teachers are no more likely to test positive than other people in their age range so no real argument for them to be vaccinated as a priority.
Pheno
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Good afternoon,
Big argument ensuing on our village Facebook page just now. Someone has started a petition to have all teachers and school staff vaccinated ahead of all other groups.
The OP actually had the gall to say that old people should stay at home and allow the young people to live and get on with their lives. If old people stayed home they wouldn’t need the jab. :o
You can imagine the uproar that has caused. I suspect his post will be gone by morning.
Actually I quite support that idea, the fact that teachers and all key and frontline workers should have been done earlier. I would willingly have waited a bit longer if it meant schools could go back safely, police and firefighters wouldn't be at risk etc. Most older people, even though they have had their inoculations, are still quite happy to stay home as much as possible.
Whichever way it was done though, it wouldn't please everyone. We just have to trust that those who have decided the order have got it right.
I agree with you Jan, OH disagrees with my opinion but I have said from the beginning that the 20 to 50 yr olds should have been first. That would encompass a large proportion of the workforce including drs, nurses, carers, bin men, drivers of all kinds. We need the workers back in the factories, offices, farms etc. Not least to lessen the burden on the nations coffers.
Families can help protect their own elderly by doing the shopping etc. Plus all the volunteers who did this during the lockdowns, and there are many of them still, doing an invaluable task.
I'm just glad that i'm not the one who has to make these decisions of what is basically, life or death. Whichever way they go or went there are those who will say they were wrong.
Dammed if they do, dammed if they don't.
John915
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And if Test and Trace say you have to self-isolate because you have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive, you have to, irrespective of whether you have been vaccinated. So if a teacher had been vaccinated and a member of their household tested positive, they wouldn't be able to go to work anyway.
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As said previously it appears that teachers are no more likely to test positive than other people in their age range so no real argument for them to be vaccinated as a priority.
Pheno
I agree, they are no more likely to test positive, however, if just one does, it means that perhaps a whole year group of 120 children have to self isolate. That in turn, especially with younger children, means that a parent has to take more time off work. My friend's son was out of school more than he was in before Christmas, as different members of staff tested positive.
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In England, folk age 56 and above can now book online - source nhs website.
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In England, folk age 56 and above can now book online - source nhs website.
And younger people with underlying conditions... my youngest daughter is getting hers on the 20th and her husband on the 17th, both have eligible conditions.
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In England, folk age 56 and above can now book online - source nhs website.
Unless you are lucky enough to live in an area with weird demographics, in which case you were "done" weeks ago
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In England, folk age 56 and above can now book online - source nhs website.
Unless you are lucky enough to live in an area with weird demographics, in which case you were "done" weeks ago
Or an area where there are a lot in the older age group.
This was announced the same day as my brother (60 - 64 group) got his invitation letter.
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You can make your booking now if you have reached 56y of age, even if you are still awaiting the letter.
All you need is your name and NHS number. I was offered an appointment in 2.5 weeks time
Pauline
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Was it miles away Pauline?
When my husband looked online the nearest place offered was 34 miles.
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Booked mine for Tuesday. Also booked second one at the time of booking first one. If I had waited for an invitation from my GP I would have had to travel 12 miles. Booking online I only have to travel half a mile to the nearest vaccination centre.
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Really glad I did mine on line so I know exactly when my second one is and don't have to worry about it.
I wonder whether first jabs will slow down now, as we must be getting to the stage when those who received the first one in January are due their second one?
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If I had done mine online I would have had to travel over 20 miles by public transport and then repeat the journey for the 2nd jab. ;D. I don't have a date for the 2nd jab but have been told that if I have not heard from my GP by 10 weeks after the first then contact them.
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I get my first jab next week ( 60-64 no health issues ). When I booked online , at first I was offered only Kendal in the Lake District and York. I live near neither and I’d def not class that as stay local, even though travel is permitted to go and get a jab! I went online the following day and have both appts booked in, travel about 5 miles away which is fine.
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I wonder whether first jabs will slow down now, as we must be getting to the stage when those who received the first one in January are due their second one?
I read supplies are due to be ramped up so should be able to cope with 1st & 2nd concurrently. It is thought 4,000,000 a week might be possible.
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Good afternoon,
I wonder whether first jabs will slow down now, as we must be getting to the stage when those who received the first one in January are due their second one?
I read supplies are due to be ramped up so should be able to cope with 1st & 2nd concurrently. It is thought 4,000,000 a week might be possible.
1.12 million peope have had 2nd jab already.
John915
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I wonder whether first jabs will slow down now, as we must be getting to the stage when those who received the first one in January are due their second one?
First ones began December. Scotland started a bit later than England.
My health board (in Scotland) has done some 2nd doses. Current group for 1st doses is under-64's with a condition which makes them vulnerable. This is a large and complex group. Meanwhile GPs continue to work through housebound. Everyone over 65 was offered a first dose in February. Procedure for mass vaccinations is that a letter including an appointment is sent. Letter also contains instruction for anyone who doesn't want to attend that appointment. Assumption is that most people will attend their allocated appointment. Some groups have been amalgamated for the sake of efficiency e.g. island residents, so people in some priority groups got 1st doses before some in a higher group in another part of the region. It seems a straightforward system.
Scotland had the highest uptake of first doses for over 80s at 97%.
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I just got notified by text that I’m now eligible to book my jab, I have no qualifying medical conditions. I’ve booked it but I find it very strange that both my husband and sister who are both older than me and registered at the same surgery haven’t yet received any notification. Both have now been online and booked.
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I’ve just had my first jab - over 60 no medical conditions. It was the Oxford AZ one. So well organised and didn’t hurt - at a vaccination centre. Very impressed.
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Had my second jab (Pfizer) yesterday at a tennis centre 5 miles away. Didn't feel a thing and no side effects either. All very well organised and 10 weeks in between the two jabs. Well done, NHS!
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What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
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You need to put this in proportion to the number of people who have received the AZ vaccine.
A small section of the report on this from Astra Zeneca
A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union (EU) and UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country.
From the full report below dated 14th March 2021
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2021/update-on-the-safety-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca.html
It's a bit like the number of deaths versus the number of people who live in a country. As of quite recently UK 127000 deaths out of a population of 67 million. That's about 0.19% of 67 million.
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2.7 million people have received the AZ/Oxford vaccine in Germany, and 31 patients have been identified with cerebral venous thrombosis. That is a very small percentage.
The trouble is who can say that those 31 people wouldn't have had a blood clot even if they hadn't received the vaccination?
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Groom - It doesn't show up as a percentage. Used the percentage calculator and it came up with this answer:
31 is 0 % of 2700000
I assume that 31 is too small a number to register as a percentage of 2.7 million!
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Good morning,
quote author=Pheno link=topic=843450.msg7139009#msg7139009 date=1617186884]
What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
[/quote]
I don't think there is anything to worry about. The present concerns were based on 4 occurrencies in Norway. However, blood clotting is common with all vaccines apparently and to a higher degree. A little research shows that this was checked for during developement and testing of the vaccines. I don't remember the figures for the pfizer vaccine but for AS it was roughly this. It was tested on about 4500 people, some received the vaccine and others a placebo. There were 50 or so cases of clotting, 24 from those receiving the vaccine and the remainder from those receiving a placebo.
Those figures were deemed permissable on the grounds that it is common with vaccines. Also that a percentage of people are likely to be susceptible to blood clots anyway, viz a viz, those who received the placebo.
Those most susceptible are the overweight, those who don't or can't exercise enough and those who just don't give a s**t because it "wont happen to me".
John915
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Yes thats all very well (and I have a maths degree) however, if it is your nearest and dearest that becomes one of those statistics, and it could have been avoided, then that changes things.
Not my decision but if any of them were to ask my opinion then I would currently be very hesitant about the AZ and would suggest they go for something else.
Pheno
Added: John's response came in whilst I was typing. If that is the case then why haven't we heard/seen this in connection to any of the other vaccines.
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Back again,
This was all on tv in the uk. My initial research was from OH who watches all these programmes and passed it on. Having just asked her, there were higher figures recorded during testing of the pfizer vaccine than for AS. But the percentages were roughly the same split between vaccine and placebo.
John915
Added, at the time of the tv show no figures had been released for any other vaccines.
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Look at it another way - women who take the pill can also develop blood clots, some studies put it that 1 in 1,000 women per year who are taking birth control pills may develop a clot. However pregnancy can also lead to blood clots! There are also many other causes, so I don't think that 31 out of 2.7 million is much to worry about.
I agree Pheno, hard if it is loved ones. However isn't life all about making decisions and perhaps even taking chances? You take a chance every time you go out in a car, get on an aeroplane etc. If they decide to refuse the AZ and wait until offered another, what is to say that a few weeks down the line it isn't discovered that particular vaccine causes problems?
I believe the only way we are going to get rid of, or at least reduce this virus is if majority of people are vaccinated. It does worry me that people may start refusing it.
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I am totally unconcerned about the AstraZeneca vaccine which is the one I have had. I am just glad I am not in Germany where Angela Merkel has asked the Russians for their unapproved vaccine.
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What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
As it was explained on the TV when this first blew up, x% of the population will get blood clots at any given time, so it is not unrealistic to expect a similar % to get blood clots soon after having the vaccine. Similarly, x% of the population will crash their car on the way back from the vaccination, will slip over in their kitchen or get bitten by a dog within 24 hours of the jab (although hopefully not all three). Doesn't mean the jab caused it, just statistical probability.
In fact, they said that the % of people that got the clots soon after getting jabbed was actually LOWER than you would statistically expect. So you could say having the vaccine IMPROVED their chances (although they were clear they weren't recommending that as a treatment ;))
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What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
Purely YOUR thoughts and YOUR decision - not sure why you are trying to involve others.
Every human being is different, which is why we ARE humans and NOT Zombies. :-X
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Oh dear BumbleB - out of bed on the wrong side today maybe?
I was simply asking what anybody else thought and offering my own thoughts. Always good to discuss an issue don't you think?
Pheno
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No - I can only get out of bed on one side! :D
As I said, everyone is different and everyone has their own thoughts - that is why we are humans. I just don't see the logic in involving others in YOUR concerns. :-X :-X
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What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
There is no need for concern it is simply fear mongering, I say this as a concerned grandparent of a grandchild who had as a 13 year old a spontaneous subdural haemorrhage which before being drained (according to CT scans) had taken up about 60% of the cranial cavity before being drained.
She has had both (1st dose & 2nd dose) her Oxford/AstraZeneca covid vaccinations with no adverse symptoms at all.
You can all imagine how I felt when I first heard about the fear about the vaccines just after she had had her first vaccination.
I had already done some research into the subject after her hospitalization 4 years ago and knew these things did effect a percentage of the female population (Higher than males) though mainly those above 60 years old. never the less I contacted her neurological surgeon for his opinion and was reassured that A. The incidence after the covid vaccinations were still in line with normal incidence in the population and B. that her previous history would not make her any more susceptible of a further bleed or clot.
It is natural to have concerns but a lot of this is down to E.U. scaremongering.
Cheers
Guy
PS perhaps I should not mention this but one of the immediate side-effects reported was pregnancy following vaccination!!
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And in this particular situation - I have had the Pfizer, and OH has had the A-Z. We are both awaiting our second appointments.
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Same as you BumbleB on both counts.
The scaremongering regarding the AZ jag or any of the others does not concern us at all. Our chances of getting Covid-19 are far greater than us getting a blood clot accountable to the vaccine.
By the way Guy I had better not get pregnant as a result of having my vaccination as we couldn't cope with a baby at our ages ??? ???
Dorrie
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The scaremongering regarding the AZ jag or any of the others does not concern us at all. Our chances of getting Covid-19 are far greater than us getting a blood clot accountable to the vaccine.
Dorrie
I did say i was concerned about the effect on my children - which actually might be greater than them contracting covid themselves as fit 30 year olds.
It really doesn't bother me as I am currently taking blood thinning tablets so very unlikely to get a clot.
Why it is termed scaremongering I don't know - it is simply the reporting of data.
Pheno
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Why it is termed scaremongering I don't know - it is simply the reporting of data.
Pheno
It's the way it is reported that is scaremongering - some people just read the headlines and assume the risk is far higher than than it is. A bit of research quickly shows that compared to the chance of getting a clot naturally or through taking other medication, air travel etc it is no worse.
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Same as you BumbleB on both counts.
The scaremongering regarding the AZ jag or any of the others does not concern us at all. Our chances of getting Covid-19 are far greater than us getting a blood clot accountable to the vaccine.
By the way Guy I had better not get pregnant as a result of having my vaccination as we couldn't cope with a baby at our ages ??? ???
Dorrie
👍
Cheers
Guy
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By the way Guy I had better not get pregnant as a result of having my vaccination as we couldn't cope with a baby at our ages ??? ???
Is that what causes pregnancy? ??? I learn something on RootsChat almost every day. ;D
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By the way Guy I had better not get pregnant as a result of having my vaccination as we couldn't cope with a baby at our ages ??? ???
Is that what causes pregnancy? ??? I learn something on RootsChat almost every day. ;D
The same thing as usual, I assume, but the person reporting it assumed the vaccination had somehow made her susceptible.
Whether by suppressing the contraception pill in a similar way that some epilepsy medications do, or something else I do not know, all I know it was a reported side effect.
Cheers
Guy
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Oh dear - France is entering a third National Lockdown for four weeks due to a CV19 surge, with schools closed, travel ban and a curfew.
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A family friend who lives in Nice, has been under curfew for weeks.
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... and I'd still dearly love to know when after having our first shots in January, we can expect to be told we can have our second ones......
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TY - We had our first jabs on 23rd & 28th January and we both were invited this week for our second my OH on Friday 9th April and mine on 10th April... we had Pfizer vaccines.....
Hang in there I’m sure yours will be through any day now...
Caroline
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We had our first Pfizer jabs mid January and were called back through our GP's surgery for second jabs which we had on Tuesday. (No side effects, I'm pleased to say.)
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... and I'd still dearly love to know when after having our first shots in January, we can expect to be told we can have our second ones......
A friend and her husband who had their's 22nd January get the second tomorrow. Another who had his about the same time has his second one next Wednesday.
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... Holding my breath already.....
TY
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Oh, dear, what has Boris done now?
People should not socialise indoors with other households even if they are vaccinated, Boris Johnson has said.
As the Easter Bank Holiday weekend began, the PM said "we're not yet at that stage" as coronavirus vaccines "are not giving 100% protection".
Doh :o :o
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Surely that is what the roadmap says anyway - we can only socialise outside?
"No earlier than the 17th May
Indoors, the rule of 6 or 2 households will apply - although we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this."
The R rate in London is going up again.
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the PM said "we're not yet at that stage" as coronavirus vaccines "are not giving 100% protection".[/i]
I didn't think they were ever expected to.
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I thought the figure varied between 65% - 85% depending on data. I haven't seen 100% protection mentioned at any time. I'm happy to take those odds.
Pat
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The only 100% (so far), is that among the vaccinated who have subsequently contracted the virus, none have died of it. No matter which vaccine was used.
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I would too, I had my 1st one on 29th January (though NHS England) my granddaughter had her 1st on 17th Feb. (through her GP) and her 2nd on 25th March. It doesn't make sense, it seems the national roll-out is sticking to 12 weeks and the GPs to about a month.
Cheers
Guy
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Mine was 22nd Jan through GP hub and 2nd tomorrow at a local pop up centre.
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My Dads - through his GP practice - were 8th Jan and then 1st April.
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I would too, I had my 1st one on 29th January (though NHS England) my granddaughter had her 1st on 17th Feb. (through her GP) and her 2nd on 25th March. It doesn't make sense, it seems the national roll-out is sticking to 12 weeks and the GPs to about a month.
Cheers
Guy
My OH was 30 Jan for 1st through GP surgery, no date yet for 2nd. I had my 1st on 13 Feb and no date either for 2nd. So our GP seems to be going for the long interval
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I had first (Pfizer) on Jan 20 and will be having my second on Thursday (April 8 ). That's 11 weeks and 1 day.
PS This through the Newcastle GPs Service ( https://newcastle-gp-services.co.uk/ ) not NHS England
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What does anyone think about the blood clot issue with the AZ jab. Must admit it is beginning to concern me now - particularly in regard to my 3x 30 year old girls, although I still have the 2nd one to go.
Pheno
Looks like there might be something in this though with the under 30's not being offered the AZ jab but something different.
Also, after I posted the stats for those with blood clots surprisingly increased by 30 from the low number that was being quoted initially.
All for the best I think.
Pheno
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Just because they are not offering the AZ to under-30s does not mean that there is a causal link.
Only that there may be a link, but it's SO rare, it's impossible to verify or discount at this stage.
Pauline
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But much better to avoid giving it - to be on the safe side.
Pheno
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No doubt that your daughters can make that decision themselves or seek guidance from a reliable source. The GP vaccination centre I attended had a medical professional there who answered any questions we had before being given the vaccine.
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I don't think I will ever forget the wonderful Prof Van-Tam standing at the podium and reading out from the packet leaflet the possible frightening side-effects of Paracetamol in his attempt to quell people's earlier alarm at various vaccines. These blood clots appear to be incredibly rare and might have occurred anyway without the vaccine.
People are gong to be very confused, I'm afraid, as various different countries impose their own regulations about age groups. I just hope it doesn't stop people from going for their jab.
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It doesn't have to stop them going for 'a' jab but perhaps not the AZ one if they feel they are in a vulnerable category. With two others available by the time it gets to the twenty somethings I think most people will want a jab, so that their lives can return to some normality and they can go to pubs and other venues.
Pheno
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I don't think I will ever forget the wonderful Prof Van-Tam standing at the podium and reading out from the packet leaflet the possible frightening side-effects of Paracetamol in his attempt to quell people's earlier alarm at various vaccines.
I had a scary reaction to Parecetamol when I was a young woman. Took about 3 days to recover. It was far worse than the minor illness which was the reason for me taking it. It was the worst side-effect I've ever had to anything.
I was prescribed an alternative painkiller after surgery last year. I read the information leaflet and was particularly concerned about stroke risk. I stopped taking it after 2 days. I didn't need pain relief anyway; it was discomfort rather than pain and I'd already refused painkillers in hospital.
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I watched Prof Van-Tam too and was astounded at the possible side effects of Paracetamol. Do many of us ever read the contra-indications of everyday medication or of prescribed medication we are on for that matter ?
Personally, I would rather take my chances with the AZ or any other Vaccines as opposed to getting Covid. My husband gets his 2nd AZ jag on Saturday and is perfectly happy to roll up his sleeve.
Dorrie
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Yes a completely different prospect for us oldies, it is the youngsters I was/am concerned about.
Pheno
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BUT, as I've said before - we, as human beings, react differently even in the same circumstances. Surely there cannot be a TOTALLY inclusive remedy for anything, never mind everything.
As a child my parents sent me to play with other children in the village who had measles, mumps etc. etc. etc. I only ever caught measles, and German measles twice. I nursed both my husband and daughter through chicken pox. I've only ever had flu once, and have never had a flu jab, plus I haven't had a cold since 2013.
Each and everyone of us is DIFFERENT (good, don't want too many like me around). :-X
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Of course we are all different.
My inclination though is to minimise risk.
There's a bit of a difference between catching chicken pox by mixing with someone who has it so you may get an itchy rash and developing a blood clot in the brain, which may kill you through deliberately exposing yourself to a vaccine which is associated with this risk.
In general we minimise risk don't we in all aspects of life by weighing up the pro's and cons. After all we walk on a pavement not in the centre of a road.
Pheno
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Well - you pays your money and you takes your choice/risk :-X :-X I hope your 3 daughters keep safe and well.
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Chicken pox (not just an itchy rash) and measles can be very serious but when children went to those ‘parties’ that was not realised.
It is dangerous in early pregnancy and obviously young mothers were exposed to the consequences if their children caught it.
It would seem that your daughters won’t be offered the AZ vaccine.
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Apparently it is mainly younger women affected by these rare blood clots, the same clots are also also associated with the contraceptive pill. More research is needed of the people affected, to determine if AstraZeneca is the cause. Now they have started the Moderna vaccinations there should be no hold up to the roll out.
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Chicken pox (not just an itchy rash) and measles can be very serious but when children went to those ‘parties’ that was not realised.
It is dangerous in early pregnancy and obviously young mothers were exposed to the consequences if their children caught it.
It would seem that your daughters won’t be offered the AZ vaccine.
Which is why, as I understand it, my parents sent me off to "play" with anyone suffering - hopefully to minimise the consequences - and I am talking about the late 1940s/early 1950's.
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Yes, that’s what used to happen. The severe consequences were perhaps rare and not recognised at the time.
With regard to the vaccine, I am glad i don’t have to make that decision even though I recognise the rarity of the adverse reactions.
As has been said, there are risks to be considered all the time.
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My youngest daughter is 32 with a medical issue. She had her first jab 3 weeks ago, it was AZ. She suffered the usual mild side effects for a couple of days but is so grateful to have had the jab.
Her husband is 31 and he had his jab before her with only slight side effects.
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Well, we'll see what transpires. I do, honestly, hope that everyone is sensible, and that we can get out of this dreadful with the minimum of disruption.
I'd really love to see my only daughter, and her children, again - I haven't seen them since May 2020.
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Just back from having my second one.
Feeling OK.
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Just back from having my second one.
Feeling OK.
Excellent news Gadget.
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OH and me had our 2nd AZ jabs this morning, 9 weeks since our first, no side effects from the first and so far none from our second.
Both jabs at our local health centre, and today they had 3 nurses doing jabs, excellent service. Fingers crossed that my daughter will be having her first one soon.
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I had my second AZ jab on Tuesday, five weeks after the first. No reaction apart from feeling rather tired the day after the first jab, I have had no problems at all.
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Well done Gadget Bee candle flame + jebber etc
I feel.more reassured.now more & more of.my friends and acquaintances are having their vaccines ..even people who were once reluctant .
My social life has only improved marginally . my personal choice is to avoid those who have not had it even if for valid . medical reasons unless they have actually had Covid itself
I know several people who did contract the virus In Leicestershire and Wales and recovered at different rates ...none have had permanent lasting effects luckily .
I don't know anyone personally who had bad effects from either of the vaccines in Britain .
Friends and family abroad have been careful & stayed safe too .
When I have had second vaccine in 3 weeks I will start to go out again...taking busses and seeing younger people but not hugging yet .I miss human contact.
With weather improving I'm starting to see friends & even a mobile hairdresser
Outdoor s & going for walks .I wear a face shield as it steams up less but it makes communication hard I'm.not sure if removing it, going a step back and shouting is better .
Encouraging the skill of lip reading and using sign language
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brigidmac
You are wise to be cautious.
Some people think they are safe as soon as they have had the second jab.
It takes two to three weeks after the second vaccination for immunity to kick properly.
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My husband had his 2nd jag last Saturday and I get my one tomorrow - around 11 weeks after the 1st one.
No problems with us although my daughter felt unwell for a few days after her 1st jag with flu like symptoms. Cleared up quickly though. She has underlying health conditions including a compromised immune system. Says she will definitely go for her 2nd one.
Same as you brigidmac we are all going to take things very slowly as we come out of lockdown. No rush to do anything but I do miss but I do miss the hugs.
Take care everyone,
Dorrie
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Good luck with the jag Dorrie, awaiting the call! ;D
Yours Aye,
Skoosh.
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Thanks Skoosh.
Hope you get your call soon and good luck for your jag too!!!
Dorrie
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I checked online calendar for my health board. The venue in my postcode has been booked for last 2 days this month so I'm expecting a letter this week or next.
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My husband had his second one today - AZ. All very straightforward and a faster process than his first one. They’d moved things around in the building and he said there we more vaccine stations. Military personnel doing them . He is very impressed. ( again)
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My daughter who is just 45 had her 1st jab on Saturday, so this part of the East Riding seems to be cracking on.
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Phone-call on the jag Dorrie, tomorrow at the local surgery so no trail to a jagathon centre ;D
Skoosh.
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Had my second Pfizer on Sunday. 11 weeks since the first one.
Everyone I know, who is due for the second, has either had it, or has an appointment, so things are working well.
This time my doctor's surgery had an automated system. I got a text with a link and made the appointment from that. 5 minutes!! For the first one, I got a text with a phone number. It took 5 hours to make that appointment.
FS
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Got my second today at 1.50 pm. :D
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My daughter who is just 45 had her 1st jab on Saturday, so this part of the East Riding seems to be cracking on.
Some areas are cracking on even faster.
I had my 2nd jab last week, 9 weeks after my first.
My next door neighbour (age 40/41) has an appointment for his first jab this week (High Peak, Derbyshire)
My daughter (41) has an appointment for her first jab on Friday (St Albans)
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My daughters are 42 (twins).
Daughter #2 works in a Vaccination Hub.
She had 1st jab some time ago - if there are doses left at the end of a day, the staff on duty get first refusal.
Often, the left over doses cannot be kept.
On Sunday, partly due to no-shows, they again had doses left over. These were offered to friends and family of the staff.
So daughter #1 had her 1st jab. She has a needle phobia, so they found a booth with a bed! And her sister held her hand! Awww!! ;D
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My daughter and husband aged 43 have their first ones on 4th & 6th May and second ones on 20th & 22nd July... they living in Ealing, London...
Caroline
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I checked online calendar for my health board. The venue in my postcode has been booked for last 2 days this month so I'm expecting a letter this week or next.
The blue envelope dropped on the doormat last Friday containing appointment on Thursday + 4 vouchers for free bus travel to the vaccination centre. Although the mass vaccination centre is in my postcode it's 2 buses each way.
Added. Some of my neighbours have their appointments same day. Our postman's bag must have been full of blue envelopes on Friday.
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Good news Maiden Stone :)
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Second one done. fingers crossed it's the same as the first with no after effects.
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Fingers crossed groom... which one did you have?
Caroline
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Glad to learn that you have managed to get second jab appointment so soon after first. We had our first jab appointments of the AZ vaccine on 5th February and have heard nothing since. GP surgery website says do not contact them about jab appointments. I wonder if many have had to wait more than 12 weeks for the second jab.
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OK - not AZ - but Pfizer. I had my first jab, via GP on 23 January, and second on 22 April.
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We had our first jab appointments of the AZ vaccine on 5th February and have heard nothing since. GP surgery website says do not contact them about jab appointments. I wonder if many have had to wait more than 12 weeks for the second jab.
Our first appointment was the same week as yours and arranged by our GP at a nearby Health centre. When we went for our jab we were told that if we had not heard anything by 10 weeks to contact our GP. At 10 weeks I contacted our GP through their website and they rang me within the hour and booked our 2nd appointment which we had at 10weeks and 3 days. I am in Surrey
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jesgardner - By my reckoning you should have your 2nd jag by this Friday 30th April. That would make it exactly 12 weeks.
I don't know which part of the UK you live in but if I were you I would be contacting your Health Board or whoever is responsible for sending out the appointments in your area.
We are using the "letter in a blue envelope" system here in Scotland for most appointments but there have been cases where the letters have gone astray and appointments missed. Not many I hasten to add.
Hope you hear soon,
Dorrie
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I agree with dowdstree.
I'm also in Scotland. 11 weeks in my postcode between appointments.
I looked at the regional health board website earlier this month. I read the latest announcements and looked at the online calendar for my district of the region and saw that the 2 leisure centres had been booked again so I knew to expect an appointment for the end of this week.
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Thanks for your help Dorrie. We live in England and were phoned about the first appointment which was at a local village hall. If we do not get a call tomorrow I will try to book appointments through the NHS website.
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I would phone your Doctor. Our original appointment came from our GP on our landline as did the 2nd. The NHS website will possibly have a different location to those booked through your GP, I know that is true in this area.
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Seems as if the first one was arranged by your GP then the second one must also.
I waited 14 weeks for mine, they have to arrange to share a Pfizer one as they cannot use a whole batch at once.
Mike
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I would check as well. I had my first 4th February and was able to book the second at the same time for today 27th April. However, a couple of weeks ago my doctor's surgery called to check that I had the second appointment booked.
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Seems as if the first one was arranged by your GP then the second one must also.
I waited 14 weeks for mine, they have to arrange to share a Pfizer one as they cannot use a whole batch at once.
Mike
My sister's friend had her first jab (AZ) arranged by GP, but has booked her second one via the NHS booking system at the nearest NHS hub 20 miles away. This might not be possible if its a Pfizer jab.
Son, (38 and vulnerable group) had his jab (Pfizer) 10 weeks ago at GP, phoned to see when the next would be and was told they had no Pfizer vaccine and didnt know when they would be getting any!!
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I live in France, so the procedure's a little different - we have to book our own jabs. OH and I became eligible about 10 days ago, but there aren't many centres locally (very rural area). We found slots in a small town 45 minutes away for yesterday, and they gave us an automatic 2nd appointment for 4 June, so a little under 6 weeks. :)
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Both of our appointments were booked at the same time - 10 weeks apart.
Friends and family have experienced the same booking system so am surprised to read so many people have to book the second one separately.
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Both of our appointments were booked at the same time - 10 weeks apart.
Friends and family have experienced the same booking system so am surprised to read so many people have to book the second one separately.
I understood that if you book through the NHS website having had an NHS letter or text you can book both appointments at the same time. My appointment was booked by my local GP surgery, they rang on the landline as they do not have my mobile number (not much point as it is generally in my handbag and turned off unless I am out of the house). They then booked both my & my OH's appt for the same time. On the 2nd appointment we were again seen together.
Booking my appointment through the GP the choice of centres at the time were all run by the local GP services were 3-4 miles away. The centre offered to me by the NHS was 26 miles away. That was in February. The 'NHS' now have centres nearer but these have only recently opened and many younger people living near to me are being offered appointments at these sites.
Maybe things have improved since the bulk of the over 70's were trying to get appointments, some of whom were complaining that they had to keep trying or could not get an appointment anywhere near where they lived.
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Son, (38 and vulnerable group) had his jab (Pfizer) 10 weeks ago at GP, phoned to see when the next would be and was told they had no Pfizer vaccine and didnt know when they would be getting any!!
The vaccine distribution processes aim to deliver the correct amount of doses to the different locations in the most efficient way possible, whilst adhering as close as possible to the 12-week target for as many people as possible.
A GP won't have a 'stock' of Pfizer vaccine - the distribution system works out when that centre optimally needs a batch of Pfizer and notifies them of the planned delivery date in good time for appointments to be made.
So until they have been notified of that date a GP centre won't know when they are getting a batch, but they should be able to reassure patients that vaccines will be delivered when needed and they will be in touch to make an appointment nearer the time.
I understood that if you book through the NHS website having had an NHS letter or text you can book both appointments at the same time. My appointment was booked by my local GP surgery, they rang on the landline as they do not have my mobile number (not much point as it is generally in my handbag and turned off unless I am out of the house). They then booked both my & my OH's appt for the same time. On the 2nd appointment we were again seen together.
Yes, exactly that. The centralised NHS system allows both 1st and 2nd bookings to be made at the same time, but is less flexible in terms of locations and doing family groups together.
The GP system has more flexibility, and access to locations the central system doesn't, but can do so mainly because the 2nd appointment isn't fixed at the start and will be made nearer the time once all the 'flexibilities' have been allowed for, and to make best use of resources.
I think it is great that we have been given the choice and it looks like it is working really well.
(a friend works in the vaccine distribution decision making system)
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As a follow up to my earlier post, thank you for the advice given.
I still had heard nothing about our second AZ jabs by this morning although the12 weeks is up tomorrow. I ignored the surgery website and the recorded message saying not to contact them about vaccination. I phoned and we now have appointments for Saturday afternoon at the village hall about 5 miles away where we had our first jabs- so only a day out.
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I think it depends on whether you booked through your GP or through the NHS website. In our case we were offered a date for the first jab via a phone call from our GP. We then had to wait until we got another phone call from the GP to give us the second date. It all seemed to depend on the general take up and the supply of the vaccine (Pfizer) to the centre used by local GPs, in our case the local tennis centre. We had to wait for around 10 weeks for the second jab.
People who booked through the NHS website were given dates for both jabs straight away. Of course, systems may have been different for each area, as seems to have happened.
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Pleased to hear that you have got your appointment jesgardner :). Hope there are no after effects
Rosie