Why are healthy 70 yr olds getting vaccine before older people in some areas

I’m not grumpy or cross about this, just interested.
But would feel sad should an older patient in the same practice die because younger fit patients had been vaccinated before them.

The older you are, the more likely it is you will need hospitalisation. The more covid cases in hospital the less capacity the hospital has for cancer ops etc.

Some of the 'younger people' who are being vaccinated - ahead of 'older people' - could be Registered Unpaid Carers!

Don't forget that somebody in their 80's/90's may have a member of family who is in their 60's/70's looking after them.

I was under the impression that over 80’s and care workers were first.
I am 75, so not expecting to get my jab before others who are more eligible.
I think that is third on the list.
Of course, nurses and frontline workers and teachers should be a priority now I think.

As I understand it there are various conditions and factors which make it more likely that you will be seriously affected by Covid, but your risk of hospitalisation also increases significantly with age regardless of your health.
I'm hoping that my DH (74 with a chronic heart problem but still not technically "vulnerable") gets the vaccine quickly. I'm under 70 and being incredibly careful to reduce the risks of getting it and passing it on to him. I'm even nervous of accepting deliveries of food because of the much more contagious new variant and would appreciate advice on how to avoid infection from deliveries (beyond washing hands and keeping him well away from them).

EMOT

I’m not grumpy or cross about this, just interested.
But would feel sad should an older patient in the same practice die because younger fit patients had been vaccinated before them.

Are the people in your OP in the same practice? Different practices have their own lists and some have more over 80s than others.

I think that there's an understandable rush to get these vaccines out to as many people as possible - as quickly as possible.

Those over 70, however fit and healthy, are high risk - simply due to age, with it's associated decline in T cells.

I suggest that you phone or email your local surgery and ask them. I doubt anyone else could answer your question.

70yos are getting the jab because the risk rises steeply as you get older, irrespective of health.
As to why they're getting it out of turn - that will hopefully be irrelevant in a few weeks as everyone over 60 and vulnerable gets it.

It is such a huge undertaking to vaccinate a whole country, there have to be some parameters. Couple the logistics of the operation with the fact that people don't turn up, are ill on the day, don't get their notifications, etc, but still need the vaccination it has to be done in the easiest way targeting the people who are at more risk of dying. Looking healthy and not appearing to be on medication does not mean you won't be hit by Long Covid which puts a strain on the national services, etc.

Let’s just leave them to it shall we and get the process moving. Cannot be easy sifting through millions of medical records. Let’s just be grateful it’s now began.

Pammie1

@sodapop. We’re hearing her that there’s a lot more public opposition to the vaccine in France, as has been the case with other vaccines. Could this be part of the reason for the slow roll out ?

That is true Pammiel there is opposition to any vaccine in France. In this case I think its more to do with the vaccine being passed as fit for purpose. There is a feeling here that UK has jumped the gun over this.

Teacheranne I don’t know where you picked up that the Astra Zeneca vaccine hasn’t got further than the midlands, as I’ve got a friend in Leeds and she had it this morning. It’s just that it’s devolved to local areas to sort out how they deliver it.

You and Yours on BBc radio 4 are discussing the vaccine at the moment

Two of my relatives, in their sixties, have been vaccinated. This was because their daughter, a health worker, went for her vaccination. It became apparent that a number of people were not turning up for their vaccination so the staff asked if anyone had relatives that could come for vaccination in the next hour. Otherwise the very sensitive Pfizer vaccination would just go to waste.

She rang her parents and they jumped in the car. I think it was a sensible thing to do to not waste the vaccine. But others might think how unfair.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has initially been sent to six hospital trusts in England and Wales, Scotland and NI.

It will be rolled out to other areas as soon as any initial problems are sorted.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55525542

9.26 growstuff thank you for that explanation, makes more sense of the situation now!

Age is far and away the largest predictor of severe disease, hence it is the major criterion for vaccine priority, but there's also logistics, particularly with Pfizer vaccine. Hence, once a batch is opened by a particular vaccine centre, the vaccine must be used. Consequently, my friend (77) was done when she took her 80 year old husband to his appointment. Some vaccine centres has got going faster than others, hence some anomalies. I'd hate to see any shots going to waste, wouldn't you? Every shot is a step towards herd immunity and protection of the vulnerable of whatever age.

They are trying not to waste vaccines so, if people do not turn up for appointments or refuse the vaccine, they will try to use the excess vaccines on either frontline health staff or those a little further down the queue.

My sister-in-law who is 75 and has no health conditions had her first vaccination before Christmas. She works a few mornings a week cleaning in a Doctors’ surgery but has no contact with patients or staff as she works early in the morning. The only reason I can think of for her having been given it is that she must have been classed as a front line worker.

In Denmark the oldest citizens are being vaccinated first, starting with those in care homes and the staff. Hospital staff, GPs , District nurses and carers are in that wave too.

Then politicians, heads of army, navy and air force and the royal family.

Elderly or younger people whose medical history makes them vunerable are being vaccinated this and next week.
After that the general population according to year of birth - oldest first.

The system is working fine, as doctors and nurses are working all out to vaccinate as many as possible every day.

No one in my area has been contacted yet......not even the over 80's......but then in the first and second lockdowns no one was contacted and told to shield .......I think our local GPs have been told by the government we can die ...less money to pay out !!! Partly tongue in cheek, partly NOT .......I have a lot of medical issues (cancer, heart problems, etc etc, diabetes ...ha ha BUT am normally healthy despite all those and I have not been told to shield .....my friend was surprised at this, as she is shielding and has no medical issues ) strange, isn't it ..............and I want to GET OUT ...had totally enough of this idiotic lockdown, release, repeat ....and STILL Boris refuses to answer any question as to his plan (not that he had one !) of using the vast, expensive, Nightingale hospitals ....that is absolutely disgraceful ....he must have known there would be staff needed,,,and asking retirees to go back did not work as they were expected to complete around 25 forms declaring their re registration, new laws regarding gender, race, awareness of other WOKE issues, etc etc etc...probably put a lot off ,,,,and he also promised Service medics would be used .........so come on, Boris ANSWER PLEASE ......

Agree with some other posters on here - I would have thought lot of unpaid carers will have registered as such with their local surgery to qualify for yearly flu vaccinations, so it makes sense they would be identified from these records and called for Covid vaccine earlier.

Healthy 70 yr olds still have 70 yr old organs which despite a fit an healthy exterior may well not cope, or recover, as well as those below this age. 70 yr olds are not first in queue for the vaccine, they are just in line after the most vulnerable individuals, NHS staff and carers to be vaccinated. . Don’t panic! You’ll get your’s in due course.

The Pfizer vaccine is not suitable for those in care homes and at home due to the storage requirements which require hospital fridges down to -70 deg, so many elderly people will not be able to be vaccinated until the Oxford / Astra Zeneca vaccine is delivered to GP surgeries and care homes as this one can be administered out in the community and can be kept safely in storage in care homes for administration