COVID vaccine letters

silvercar

We have so many nuisance calls, we are unlikely to answer a number we don’t recognise.

GaleSF63

silvercar said:

We have so many nuisance calls, we are unlikely to answer a number we don’t recognise.

At least the numbers our surgery use are local, so people might be more inclined to answer them even if unknown - I would. 
They used to have a withheld number; I think they gave up that, because so few people would answer. 
On the odd occasion I've phoned back because it was their standard number, it's been as if they've all moved onto another planet since they phoned me and never know why so I gave that up!

Bogof_OAP

Tried again online this morning, managed to get a solitary slot for the first one locally but there was nothing available within 25 miles for the second one, so I couldn't confirm the first one.  Phoned 119 and the chap said you have to book them both at the same time, but we could phone nearer the date of the second one and see if we could change it.  Went back to my screen to do that, got to the final page and got told that the first appointment was no longer available.

This is all getting very stressful, my husband is quite angry now as he's desperate for his as he looks after his sister who is CEV.

hunnie

Bogof_OAP said:

Tried again online this morning, managed to get a solitary slot for the first one locally but there was nothing available within 25 miles for the second one, so I couldn't confirm the first one.  Phoned 119 and the chap said you have to book them both at the same time, but we could phone nearer the date of the second one and see if we could change it.  Went back to my screen to do that, got to the final page and got told that the first appointment was no longer available.

This is all getting very stressful, my husband is quite angry now as he's desperate for his as he looks after his sister who is CEV.

I had the same problem. Took me all day on Friday refreshing the site till one came up near enough to where I live. Then had to have 3 goes till I found two slots, where one of which didn't expire before I'd finished!
So keep trying and you'll get there in the end.

hb2

It's interesting that people are not being made to book the second appointment at the same time as the first here. I know several people who have had a text asking them to book first appointment, have had the jab (in the last 3 days) and been told they will be contacted again when it is time to book the second. So it is clear that different systems are being used in different places (we are in Dorset).

Torry_Quine

hb2 said:

It's interesting that people are not being made to book the second appointment at the same time as the first here. I know several people who have had a text asking them to book first appointment, have had the jab (in the last 3 days) and been told they will be contacted again when it is time to book the second. So it is clear that different systems are being used in different places (we are in Dorset).

That surprised me too. Where I am everyone was told the second date at the time they got the first date.

Thrugelmir

Torry_Quine said:

hb2 said:

It's interesting that people are not being made to book the second appointment at the same time as the first here. I know several people who have had a text asking them to book first appointment, have had the jab (in the last 3 days) and been told they will be contacted again when it is time to book the second. So it is clear that different systems are being used in different places (we are in Dorset).

That surprised me too. Where I am everyone was told the second date at the time they got the first date.

Vaccine supplies aren't guaranteed to arrive. 

BooJewels

I noticed the booking differences too.  My 93 year old aunt had her first jab before Christmas and they booked the 2nd date then, which of course - at that time - was at 3 weeks, which they subsequently rang and cancelled the day before, but booked her 2nd for some time in March at that time.  My MIL who lives 4 miles from her, had her first in January, no second one booked yet, told she'll get an appointment through the post and my CEV husband had his on Friday, after a call a couple of days earlier from the GP practice and they said they'd do the same for the 2nd one just before 90 days.

Obviously different health authorities are using different methodology (and for different groups within their own cohort), which is understandable, as there are different vaccines in use and different facilities available.  But it also leads to confusion where there isn't any national consistency and people individually aren't quite sure what to expect.  It's a blooming miracle though that they're getting through so many, so fast.  My husband said that the place he went to was calm and incredibly well organised and running like clockwork.

pelirocco

I'm a volunteer  at a Covid hub ,ours did 2200 vaccinations yesterday ,they will be contacted to book their second  jab

GaleSF63

I had mine yesterday in a local sports hall. I was very apprehensive about the distance I would have to walk - I am extremely limited - a few yards. First marshal said, Do you have any mobility problems? When I said yes, he said Would you like the doctor to come to the car park? Oh YES PLEASE! It was snowing as well.  All done in a few minutes. We were parked by the exit door and there was a constant stream of people coming out - they must have had an incredibly efficient system in there. The  doctor said I would be notified for the second jab. 

Some things can really cheer you up, and this experience did.