Covid - news and views
Comments
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Unfortunately the role out of the Booster programme has been mired by a lack of simple logic!!! Given that we had vast experience from the first vaccine rollout why not apply the say methodology to the Booster? We all understand what 6 months after our last vaccine means but there was no logic in actually not allowing people to book in advance, after all most of us booked our second vaccination three months in advance. As you say being able to book in advance allows work loads and supplies of vaccine to be organised. I suppose better late than never? The people that organise such things are paid a great deal of money so surely not too much for them to get it right first time, especially as they had data from a previous rollout.
David
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The need for a booster was not decided until the immunity decline could be determined. There may be people paid well to organise the roll out but they could do nothing until the decision was made and now they are working with reduced staffing and volunteer levels. You may think that people understand six months but I assure you many don't and some comments on CT prove it.
Today we had a four hour booster walk in only. At the peak the queue was 90 mins long and at the end many were turned away. More could have been done if the large number of people that thought their six month point had passed had got it right and stayed away.
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I chose to go to a huge Pharmacy in the suburbs of Hull they were geared up to multiple people, 7 booths with folk checking others in & others prepping them. It was a conger line snaking around. Independents do seem to be organised. High footfall=high profits I guess👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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Perhaps some might be missing my point. Once it was decided that we needed a Booster vaccine (this has been talked about for several months before it became a reality) we have had several changes in the administration of said Booster. On top of that we have had the Government complaining, and by inference blaming the qualifying public, that not enough people are taking up the Booster. Initially we were told to do nothing until we got a letter/text from the NHS, we were then told that if we were six months and one week we could use walk in centres and it seems today we have been told that we can book and appointment a month in advance of our six month anniversary. Surely it wasn't rocket science to have all this organised from day one?
David
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I think the change in "vaccine minister" has had something to do with this. The wheels certainly seem to have come off what was, originally, a very slick and creditable operation. Without looking it up I had no idea who the new minister was!
I also think there are mixed messages going out to vaccine centres - I had my booster appointment this afternoon, (arriving to find a prominent notice saying that "walk ins" were available!), asked if there'd been a problem with folk turning up before their due date. Apparently there had been a few but they'd been told to go ahead if it was within 1 week.
Main thing, though, as far as I'm concerned, is that we have both managed to get boosters at last. 👍
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I understand what you are saying DK. It’s not rocket science, but then the current shambles of people taking and making decisions, have yet to discover the wheel. If it’s not greasing someone’s palm, or cosying up to a chum, it’s not a priority. If I’m not mistaken, I think one of the scientists involved has resigned lately over latest policy, I will try and find a link....
Link....https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59143366
Perhaps not over latest policy, but like anyone else, if your advice is ignored, sometimes best just to walk away.
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I didn't write to my MP about this, but I filled in a feedback form on one occasion when I tried to book my booster and was told I couldn't. Basically I said that when we booked our 1st and 2nd jab, once the 1st was booked, one could book the 2nd during the same session, but it came up with a date no earlier than 11 weeks after the date of the 1st. So my question was why that same principle couldn't be applied in the case of boosters: a date no earlier than 184 days from the 2nd jab?
It seems that from Monday it will be possible to book up to month ahead, and not before time! Not only for people wanting to book, but for vaccination centres to be able to organise vaccines, staff etc.
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Ina
I also filled in the online survey on the Booster booking page saying I didn't understand why the appointments couldn't be booked in advance. The trouble with writing to your MP or filling surveys is that you never know how many others have done the same. So when sensible changes are made you don't know whether its through pressure or someone at the NHS or in Government waking up to the fact that the system could be improved? Although we have now both had our jabs I am glad it will be a bit easier for those still to book.
David
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It appears some complaints were listened to, the queue jumping was stopped and the priority people for the booster had to produce evidence they were legitimate eg nurses, care workers etc. Unlike a neighbour of ours who got her jab early pretending to be a carer. This time round she has had to wait, although having got in early she was ahead of older neighbours!
I expect civil servants working for the NHS have to wade through a lot of surveys etc.
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Since our previous history is all on the NHS record, it shouldn't be rocket science for there to be a "come No 26 your time's up" letter/text/email for the booster.
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Thankfully, that’s what has worked for our little group of four. We all had a text from GP (I look after Mum’s appointments), in priority order. Link to book, confirmation when booked, and a reminder text day before. I am off for my appointment in next hour. Our GPs have been simply fantastic throughout, we are very lucky.
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Had my booster yesterday and with the AZ vaccine my only side effect was being extremely tired and sleeping for the rest of that day.
Had the Pfizer one for the booster and my only side effect was a sore upper arm.
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, I wonder, Corners ~~ Do they have a 'slow release vaccine' at all, just asking cos I've been tired + drowsing steadily since Jab 1 back in January and a fourth one in very late December could see me in hibernation thro' the cold times ahead
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I guess one problem could well be policing it? There are certain circumstances where organisations/events are saying folk should take a Lateral Flow Test, but apart from the fact that it is difficult to check, especially when dealing with large numbers, there are reliability issues and loopholes, I guess.
David
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Just noticed today that my Booster jab has appeared on my NHS App as well as the negative result of a Lateral Flow test I did in July.
David
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The booster now also appears on the NHS Covid Travel Pass, which it previously didn't; there was a news item about it earlier today. We started LF tests back in April on a regular basis and they are all showing, but they have done for a while now. It was the booster that wasn't showing until today, so good news for future travel abroad.
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With the current rise (in Kent) of covid infections one has to wonder why the authorities have not brought in another lockdown?
Are they more concerned with the possibility of commerce failing, or public outrage by the teens to 30yr olds?
For goodness sake why don't they use common-sense for once?
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