General Chat

Just rang my doctors surgery as online info said a local centre would be doing the vaccine jabs and as an over 80 I would be in a higher group

Not had any contact at all

Surgery said they had only 100 vaccines delivered for the over 90,s and no idea when more would be delivered

But I saw online some folk were getting the jab on a drive through

What is going on ??

I want to have the jab even though I live alone but I do go out for essential appointments like dental .chiropractor, eye tests etc and being over 80 I am in the vulnerable group

To me the system isn’t working :-(

Some surgeries still haven't had any and others only got a small amount like yours.

All we have had round here is an article in the local paper asking us not to contact the doctor, pharmacist or hospital as we will get a letter when the jab is available to us. My OH and several of our friends are over 80 but none have had a letter yet.

I really didn’t want to contact the surgery to be a pain but was flummoxed with different info seeing online

It looked like a local medical centre was dealing with my doctors so gave the impression that’s who would be giving the jab,seemed too I was in the next group after health workers which was only right

We owe a big debt to the nhs personal who look after COVID victims

My surgery website also says please don’t call. I don’t think you get written to, I think it is a phone call. My getting ever so more dementia friend had a call a couple of weeks ago and was given a phone number to ring if she eventually decided to have the jab. Well, having discussed it she rang the number and told me she had an appointment next week but couldn’t find the piece of paper she had written on. We then spent ages talking about the best way to the surgery who would be giving it.
Today she says no one has rung her and she hasn’t got an appointment. Aargh.
I can’t see her as I have my own bubble. If only her children would take more interest in her.
She has also told me she is still taking eye drops following her cataract operations a few years ago. She just gets them on repeats as ‘the hospital prescribed them’. She always got her follow up appointments cancelled. Aargh 2

Mine too said don’t ring so I was sorry to ring to be a pain but am seeing conflicting info online

Shirley, have you checked your surgery’s website. Mine has been doing jabs and there is a notice on the website. I’ve checked the websites of my friends surgery and there is no notice at all - so maybe she was right about not having an appointment.

My surgery website says the reception staff have nothing to do with the covid appointments and know nothing about them. There is also a form online on their website if you think you should have been in the group that has already been done.

Yes I did check their website but It didn’t give info that made sense ,especially as other info said a local medical centre would be dealing with jabs for local doctors including my surgery

They said they had been injecting from 15th dec so I was ok where am I on the list

Not knowing is ?? And when will they contact me ? Have I been overlooked?

Heck the website of the medical centre.
According to our local paper some surgery’s haven’t started yet.

Well not wanting to harass anyone but my priority is ME !

Sorry if that sounds self serving but I want to have some more years !

Having lost a younger sibling recently and the daughter of my brother contracting COVID from sitting with him in his last week in hospital in Oct it’s very near the knuckle !

I am will have the jabs ASAP if it means I can reassure my family mum ,Nan ,and grt Nan is ok

I know they were all devastated when hubby passed in 2015

I’ve been looking at some of the local surgery websites. Some say nothing some say it will happen sometime, somewhere but not there and some say soon.

One said they may only get a couple of days warning themselves.

Shirley, my understanding is that you have to wait until you're contacted and as you are over 80 it may not be too long.

Here in the North East, three of my over-80 friends are about to have their second jab (two on Thursday, one on Friday) and one who just turned 80 in November has been called to go for his first one. All of them are registered with different surgeries across the area so it seems our organisational people are 'hot', thank goodness.

Someone on telly just said in some areas there is no joined-up planning so that may be the problem where you are. I'd find it hard to think you have been forgotten.

By the way, I am surprised you mentioned dental appointments and opticians. Are they open in your area at the moment?

we were given a phone no, to call and book an appointment.

mind you it timed out after 60 seconds....and required another attempt.... after about 15 tries, got through....

I was told by our surgery reception that letters would be sent out. They started before Christmas but it is a large surgery covering a large area and they are apparently sharing the vaccination centre with two or three other surgeries as I am only just 80 I know I have to wait for those older than me.

Sounds as though you are about the age of my friend's OH who turned 80 in November, Ann. He has been called for his first jab and goes on Friday so you may not have long to wait.

Joy

I will be 84 In March so no spring chicken

Was one of those well at least age may be an advantage moments :-D

Yes, Shirley. Two were 82, one was 81 (with chest problems) and the fit one going for the first jab this week turned 80 last November - so I think your turn may be imminent if your area's organisation is up to speed.

I do not think that we will have received more vaccinations than your area has received per head of elderly and vulnerable population - and I would have thought that is the rationale behind distribution. If there is anything else in the equation perhaps someone who knows will also let us know.

My surgery is banded with 4 other practices to only deliver the vaccine from one location. They got their first batch of vaccines delivered this week, and it's only enough for approximately a third of the over 80s that they have, so inevitably some of the over 80s will have to wait until the next, or even the third delivery.

They have said they will call people to offer an appt, and asked people not to ring them, as it ties up their phone lines and prevents the sick from getting through on the phone.

We have all had a letter from the NHS enclosing a leaflet about vaccinations, telling us what is going on and saying that we will be contacted when it is our turn.

Our GP's website says that both doctors and the District Nurse have had their first dose. I presume that means they will be administering the jabs in due course.

Our local news programme has just announced that all surgeries in our area will be vaccinating.

Can't be too long now folks.

Having said that, If I had a choice I'd opt to give my jab to one of my children as they are much more in the firing line than I am, having worked right through - one doing twelve-hour days, already tested with antibodies and with six of his colleagues suffering from covid on Xmas Eve.

I'd be quite happy to stay in for longer as long as long as they were safer.

Apparently, India's 18-59 year olds are being given the vaccine first so the economy can get back on track.