Everyone over 70 in England can book themselves!

DH and I are both well over 70 and DH is classed as shielding. No where on the link I followed did it say you had to have received a letter or text and we were both allowed to book an appointment. There seemed to be many available appointments on every day for the next week. Most time slots were free.

I am one who posted about this in another thread. I object to the people talking about jumping the queue, not being willing to wait etc etc. Even being compared to the toilet roll scandal! It was the case that when I looked on the website, there were thousands of appointments every five minutes for days and weeks in advance. All empty and waiting to be filled.

We were eligible and felt glad we had gone as they were very pleased to see us as they were fed up of hanging about all day with nothing to do. We were told the letters had been delayed (Surprise, surprise) and they’d only had 20 people all day the previous day.

Now, the letters have gone out and hordes of people are having to queue for hours in the cold whereas they could have gone along with no wait just last week. Our letters arrived three days after our jabs so we were not pushing in ahead of ‘our turn’, just being judicious in using existing facilities. I do hope this will stop this carping. I publicised the website on here to help those who feel forgotten or worried that they needed the vaccine as soon as possible.

I had my first Vaccination today. Everything was very well organised and I was very impressed by it all.
I received my letter on Friday and when I went online to book an appointment there were lots of empty appointment slots over the weekend and for today.After booking I checked the date on my letter and it had been on it's way for 9days.So if I had booked 9days earlier I would not have been taking anyone one else's turn.
If you are in the age group being invited to go for vaccination, but haven't received a letter yet,my view is that booking before it arrives is helping the system to run smoothly.

Doodle

Calendargirl I followed the link in the OPs post. It just asks you to put in your NHS number and dob. Nothing about receiving a letter or text.

I put DH’s details in, (he is only 69), really to test if younger people could book in, as someone on GN said they could. (No intention of booking an appointment, we are happy to wait for our ‘turn’.)

It stated that he was not eligible yet, which of course I knew, and that you should only book after receiving your letter.

I do not disbelieve what you are saying, it seems to me different messages come up for different age groups.

I was using the OP’s link.

No doubt when DH and I are eligible, it won’t say that.

Thanks doodle.
I'm immediately ruled out, as I'm not over 70.

I'm a healthcare worker, though.

I'm currently on my house phone in a queue to a helpline. (Only been waiting an hour though!)

Miss Adventure if you click on the link in the OPs post, enter your NHS number and date of birth somewhere along the line is a link to take you to a choice of local sites. I was able to chose at least 2 that were within 5 miles of where we live.
Sorry if this is what you’ve already done, I’m just trying to be helpful.

Calendargirl I followed the link in the OPs post. It just asks you to put in your NHS number and dob. Nothing about receiving a letter or text.

good luck with it

Ah, thank you.
Your solutions have kept me afloat.

Oxfordshire is ludicrous though gaga mentioned free Uber taxis....a nice drive out. So Ipswich?
Good luck and thank you for the good work that you and all other carers do.
My dds always used to call me solution woman, (not in a good way inferring interference,) and am beginning to see their point

Yes, that's what comes up when I try to book.
Oxfordshire or Ipswich.

I phoned the number for advice and the woman hung up on me!

Or is that where you got the crazy Oxfordshire offer?

Www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. You will need your nhs no.

MissA when we were waiting for ours yesterday there was someone who didn’t have an appointment and he was seen. Obviously it won’t work if lots turned up without a time.
I rather hope you might be lucky or maybe try online as above, you are part of the first group so would not be ‘pushing in’.

We are over 70 and got a letter today inviting us to book a vaccination via the website but had ours yesterday via the local surgery. I suppose today’s letter is for a larger hub centre but it seems all over 70 s can use this option.
If you don’t get through online phone 119 free of charge, best afternoon /evening when it’s less busy. Hope this helps.

Sunlover you can't book on the website yet if you are not eligible, they haven't got round to under 70's yet, but hang in there!

We receive the letter just as we were setting off for our GP vaccine appointment. It said if you already had an appointment to ignore it.

We had ours this morning. It was all very efficient.

I'm going to hang around the hospital later, in the hope of getting a "spare".

The roll out has been less than successful for me.

I am 67 and my husband 68. He has his jab tomorrow. After reading this thread I thought I’d just see if I could book an appointment as others have said you can. I was told I was not eligible. No problem as I’m happy to wait (had the virus over New Year). I was just curious.

We are waiting to go to our GP’s surgery. As we still have to isolate or shield it won’t make much difference to us. I know it is safe wherever we go but happier to go where I know.

I have booked both of us for jabs this Thursday despite not having received notification from my GP. I also tried to book one for my daughter at the same place but she wasn't eligible, so people can't jump the queue.

Doodle

There is nothing on the above website that says you have to wait for a letter. It just asks what your NHS number is and your d.o.b. . I wouldn’t assume all those who have booked are trying to jump the gun. As I said, there is nothing on the website that says you have to have a letter. I just assumed that if your weren’t eligible they wouldn’t let you book.
It looks like the proper NHS website. It’s not a scam is it?

When I looked at the NHS site, it definitely said you should only book after receiving your invitation.

Seems like everyone is looking at different sites with different instructions!

Good point Hoover. I have had my letter and booked, but letters can be delayed in the post so it is good that eligible people can get themselves booked in.

If you book yourself in you are saving your overstretched GP surgery from texting or phoning you, as your GP will be informed you’ve had the vaccination. You aren’t jumping any queues just being a bit pro active.