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

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Patsyanna

My granddaughter is normally an A+E nurse, but has been working on Covid wards recently. I actually asked her this question a few days ago. She said that as older patients usually need to be in hospital for substantially longer than younger patients, so then “bed blocking” starts to become a problem. Hence trying to keep elderly out of hospital.

I'd take that with a pinch of salt. The reason is that age is the major factor in killing people and causing severe symptoms which hospitalise them.

Please read the JVCI guidance on how decisions were made.

My granddaughter is normally an A+E nurse, but has been working on Covid wards recently. I actually asked her this question a few days ago. She said that as older patients usually need to be in hospital for substantially longer than younger patients, so then “bed blocking” starts to become a problem. Hence trying to keep elderly out of hospital.

@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 ?

I think it depends a little on the area you live in and the restrictions of the first vaccine and it’s very low temperature requirements. We’ve had info from our local health authority explaining where and what is taking place, plus a reminder that there is a very high population of elderly in our area so it may take a while to get to us slightly younger folks!

I expect it depends on the efficiency of the vaccination programme where you live. If you are somewhere that has plenty of vaccine, premises and staff to administer it, and possibly a low number of the really old and vulnerable, then obviously younger groups will be able to get it before, say, the older ones in a neighbouring catchment. If I lived in a place popular with the retired, like South Devon, I'd probably expect to be a long way down behind a long queue of over 80s.

There has been so much talk by the government about vaccinating the most vulnerable people but that is just talk and bluster. Many elderly care home residents and their carers are still waiting and in the meantime no visitors are being allowed.
The much talked about Covid tests have not been received either.

My 89 year old mother lives in a care home, I’ve only seen her three times since April, twice is a garden gazebo and once in a pod, the carers are still waiting to be vaccinated even though they have a mini bus which could take them to a central hub and the residents are also still waiting.

I appreciate that the Phizer vaccine is difficult to store but reading today the hospital Trusts that have been sent the first doses of the new vaccine, none of them are further North than the Midlands.

I would contact my MP to ask about the delays but as she has not replied to my previous emails about care home visits, I can’t be bothered!

My mother is 100 and has had no information about the vaccine. Yet people much younger have had the vaccine. She is very confused when they are on the news and blames me for everything.

Of course, if we think about it, it is going to be a postcode lottery.

Doesnt seem to be happening in my area I ve only heard of 80+ so far but as others have said nothing we can do about it so just get on or if you’re really irate phone someone and ask and come back and let us know
I think health workers critical workers and teachers should come before any of us any way

Perhaps your friends happen to have a specific health condition which they haven't chosen to disclose to you.

I suppose it is never going to be exactly fair throughout the UK. Is anything?

There is an element of chance in most things.

As I said on another thread, my 69 brother had the vaccine about 10 days ago. He has no health conditions. He's about 10 miles from us. My 93 year old neighbour hasn't been called yet.

I know someone who works in a pharmacy, they had the vaccine and could nominate someone else. They chose their fit, healthy partner. My fit, active but elderly friends have had the vaccine but my chronically ill DH has to shield. They spent the autumn abroad but we can't even get to a shop. Still we will just have to wait our turn.

I wouldn’t care how far I had to go for the vaccination to be honest, but then I’m fit and mobile.

It’s now of necessity a mixed system to get as many of the vulnerable groups vaccinated as they can by the target dates, and depending on venues some of the mass vaccination centres are getting large volumes of people through. I don’t see it as a problem provided everybody who is eligible gets their vaccination at a venue they are able to get to in the timescale.

I'm a member of my local "Patient Voice" and this question has come up.

The Clinical Commissioning Groups have delegated the organisation of vaccinations to various groups of GPs. It seems to be a bit of a postcode lottery, but each GP group is responsible for trawling through their records to find the people who are eligible.

In most cases, people in care homes have been problematic, so over 80s have been called in. The groups have been issued with a certain number of doses, but if they don't have many over 80s on their lists, they've called in the next people in priority. Hence, some over 70s have been contacted.

Sometimes, they haven't been able to contact people and have had doses left over, which need to be used in a short time frame. That's why some people have reported that the fire service (or others) have been contacted.

I expect it depends on your local area (and/or country). Maybe look on the website or contact them if you're really concerned.

Lexisgranny no, NW London- not exactly the end of the earth!
Friends of mine, in a different borough, have a GP surgery who are starting with the eldest it would appear and working their way down the age list.