Covid Vaccination

[Nic.]

I understand that the message to book appointments together with a code for the vaccine are being sent out via text message.  My parents both in their 80’s don’t have a phone they can text from, so how will they be contacted.  Has anyone else come across this problem.

[PaulineJ]

Ask their local surgery.
Fair bet it will be the same contact method as they get their flu jab invitation

[mazi]

From the bbc news

  “You will be invited to book an appointment to get a vaccine as soon as it is your turn, probably by letter”

Mike

[Nic.]

Unfortunately the surgery they are registered with was temporarily closed in March because of Covid and all the patients were passed to another branch of the practice.  Dealing with this surgery has not been fun.  I will phone the temporary surgery and see if reception will give an answer. My father is 87 and in remission.

[andrewalston]

My mum and her sister (both over 90) have just received appointments for vaccination next week. The surgery contacted my aunt by phone (she's the older one) and when it was suggested that they visit as a pair it was readily accepted.

The jabs will be done at the surgery rather than trailing 18 miles to the big hospital (which always involves parking problems and walking long distances).

[Nic.]

I phoned the surgery, the receptionist wasn’t sure how they would be contacted as they didn’t have a mobile.

[Gadget]

This is the notice that is from my GPs' website:

Important Update – COVID-19 Vaccine

The NHS will start administering the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available.  This is really good news we have a vaccine which is approved for use and we would encourage our patients to have the vaccine.

The first cohort will be patients over 80 years old  and the vaccines will not be administered at the surgery as they will be done on a larger scale and a larger venue will be used.   Although the practice will not be administering the vaccine it is likely we will be booking the appointments for the selected sites and are currently awaiting the go ahead to do this.  Please do not contact the surgery to arrange a appointment for a vaccine as we will contact patients the patients in each cohort when we are advised to.  Please note we have not yet been advised how this will be administered to our housebound patients but we have been asked to make patients aware if they are able to be taken to the site for their vaccine wherever possible this would be better due to how the vaccine is stored and it is likely vaccines at the site would be administered sooner.

Add - for flu vaccines and routine checkups, they send text message, phone and/or letters.  As we are 76 and 75, I assume that we will be contact by one or more of these methods.

[mazi]

The ONS tells me there are two and a quarter million over 80s in the uk, with 800,000 doses available now, 400.000 treatments, it’s going to take some time as everyone needs a second dose after approx three weeks.

Plus you cannot deliver the first dose unless you are absolutely sure the second dose is available, not just promised.

Mike

[Nic.]

What has worried them is they live in a row with others who are in their 80s who have been contacted but via text.  So they were trying to check how the system is working.