Has anyone heard of the possibility that there may not be enough vaccine for getting 2nd doses within 12 weeks

All our hub invites in Wales are by letter, and specific categories of patients have been allocated to the GP practices, mainly the shielding and high risk 16-64 year olds, although I think the practices may have been allocated the 75-79s as well. My practice have been sending letters, but to make sure all slots are full they are using the reserve lists for the hubs - people in the category below the age group being vaccinated now can put their name down on a central database and have a short notice appointment, which is coordinated across Powys, but they can’t book, themselves, they are reserves.

Casdon But they don't all come by letter. You only have to look at the people who have had "opportunistic" jabs on GN. I also know of somebody in his mid 40s with no underlying health issues who was vaccinated before I was. Neither he nor the person vaccinating him know why he'd been told by his employer to go for a jab (he doesn't work in his healthcare) - it's still a mystery. It does seem that while the system is working well for the majority, there are some local anomalies. Patients in my practice all received a text stating that we must under no circumstances contact the practice about vaccinations, which has left quite a number of worried people. I don't suppose I'm in the only GP practice with these kind of difficulties.

Alegrias1, our appointments all come via a letter too, either from the GP practice or through the Health Board for the mass vaccination centres, so it must just be England which is using a central booking system. As you say, there are bound to be some errors whatever system is used, but they should be able to chase up the small number who don’t for whatever reason get given a second appointment, as it’s recorded on everybody’s GP electronic case notes.

Casdon

Yes maybe, I know they are being rigid in Wales about sticking to the age bands, and aren’t using the central booking system like in England, it’s been delegated by Public Health to each Local Health Board to call people, so maybe the recall system is tighter - I haven’t heard that anybody has been not called for their second vaccine, but I’m sure there are people here too. It might also be because of the initial strategies being different though, as initially all the vaccine here was allocated for health frontline workers, who are easier to recall! I’d be interested to know how it’s being coordinated in Scotland and NI too, as it’s different everywhere.

Casdon my parents here in Scotland had their second dose this weekend. They were called by the local health centre and were given an appointment 3 days later, which is 10 weeks after their first (Pfizer) jab. They are over 80.

All of the under 80s I know got a letter with their first appointment and I expect we'll get a letter for our second. Seems to be working just fine. A friend of mine didn't get his first letter and it turned out he wasn't on the system. He called the helpline and got an appointment set up straight away. With 4 million people to get through I guess someone is going to be missed!

In Cambridge staff were turning away people who did not have their official invitation letter, even if they'd used the online system to book.

GrannyGravy13

I do think the situation differs around the UK, DS and DiL (41&40) had their first jab on Saturday they are in S E Essex as are we.

DH had his through GP hub and put my name down on the standby list. Eight days later I had a call, could I be there in five minutes (we live 500 metres from hub) they had left over doses of Pfizer I threw on my coat and was there in time.

We cannot book second jab online however, they are beginning to administer second jabs so awaiting the text/call.

That's a similar story I've heard from people who had their first jab at the GP hub. They just don't know when their second dose will be and I've heard that the GP hub doesn't know when it's going to receive doses either, which obviously makes organisation difficult.

I had my jab a national hub in Cambridge. My second dose is due on 16 May. It is in the shopping centre, which is due to open the next day, so I assume it will still be in the same place.

From my experience there are no hard and rules as to second jab.
On the first one, myself, OH, and neighbour got the call at more or less the same time.
We took our neighbour to the centre. Today that neighbour got a call for second jab. I phoned the number given and asked why we hadn’t been phoned when all 3 of us presented together.
She said: that’s ok, I’ll book you in with your neighbour.

Yes maybe, I know they are being rigid in Wales about sticking to the age bands, and aren’t using the central booking system like in England, it’s been delegated by Public Health to each Local Health Board to call people, so maybe the recall system is tighter - I haven’t heard that anybody has been not called for their second vaccine, but I’m sure there are people here too. It might also be because of the initial strategies being different though, as initially all the vaccine here was allocated for health frontline workers, who are easier to recall! I’d be interested to know how it’s being coordinated in Scotland and NI too, as it’s different everywhere.

I do think the situation differs around the UK, DS and DiL (41&40) had their first jab on Saturday they are in S E Essex as are we.

DH had his through GP hub and put my name down on the standby list. Eight days later I had a call, could I be there in five minutes (we live 500 metres from hub) they had left over doses of Pfizer I threw on my coat and was there in time.

We cannot book second jab online however, they are beginning to administer second jabs so awaiting the text/call.

Casdon

This is interesting, comparing first and second vaccine proportions to date in the different nations of the UK, different strategies by the looks of it.
ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/0F0C/production/_117725830_optimised-vaccine_doses_nation_nation26mar-nc.png

Indeed! And possibly explains why Welsh GNers are telling a different story from those of us in England.

M0nica

growstuff I didn't say that this was happening, I said this is how it could be done.

In that case I misunderstood. It is said that Germany has enough doses in fridges for second doses (no idea if that true), but the UK has never claimed to have enough already in stock. AZ.

There are over 3,000 AZ employees at Cambridge's R&D centre, so it's not surprising that a number of them are close neighbours. One of them is a close friend. She's not at all bothered about vaccines being available when needed, but they're not being stored right now. There are problems with supply and not quite how they're being portrayed in the media as far as the EU is concerned.

This is interesting, comparing first and second vaccine proportions to date in the different nations of the UK, different strategies by the looks of it.
ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/0F0C/production/_117725830_optimised-vaccine_doses_nation_nation26mar-nc.png

growstuff I didn't say that this was happening, I said this is how it could be done.

Great! But it certainly appears that some people (no idea how many beut there definitely are some) are worried that they haven't got a date for the second dose. The simplest thing would be for the powers that be to acknowledge it rather than denying there might be a slight problem and to issue a notice on GP, NHS, county council, local Facebook group (etc) websites.

Had my first AZ on 10th March 2nd 31st May . Come under Sefton borough Merseyside.

DH had his first jab of Pfizer on 14th January, he is having his second one on Thursday. I was six days after him, hoping that I get mine next week!

*even

harrigran

I am getting my second vaccination on Saturday exactly 11 weeks after the first one, I am having AZ. DH had Pfizer and his were 10 weeks apart. I think venues must be earmarked for the different vaccines as DH attended a different centre to which I will attend.
We were confident that the second dose would happen and just waited for the call.

I think it depends what kind of venue you attended for your first dose. I attended a hub through the national booking system and my second dose is booked. However, I've heard of people who were vaccinated at the local GP hub who haven't been contacted for a second dose after 12 weeks. The GP refuses to take phone calls related to vaccination, so a certain amount of panic has set in. My sister and her husband were also vaccinated at a GP hub and have heard nothing about a second dose, eve though the 12 weeks is almost up. They haven't been able to book a second dose anywhere.

I am Scottish, and had to have my vaccine (AZ) at my surgery, rather than the local hub, because I am shielding. My GP volunteered the information on Friday that they are right on track to administer the second dose, no expected shortages.

I am getting my second vaccination on Saturday exactly 11 weeks after the first one, I am having AZ. DH had Pfizer and his were 10 weeks apart. I think venues must be earmarked for the different vaccines as DH attended a different centre to which I will attend.
We were confident that the second dose would happen and just waited for the call.

Yes, we are. All I was refuting was that all doses in the UK will be manufactured in the UK and another poster's claim that there are doses in fridges all ready to be put in people's arms.

growstuff I think we’re saying the same thing then? I was pointing out that in the context of the second doses, the UK is manufacturing enough to do them without relying on importing any, sorry if I wasn’t clear, but I had said that on a previous comment on p2 of the trail. The article from the Chief Pharmacist that I also posted confirms that there is no concern.

But there is a slowdown on the timetable and it's not true that the UK has doses in the fridge ready for second doses. It's also true that the supply to GP hubs has been erratic, which has made long-term planning difficult.

It might actually help if the messaging were honest rather than trying to cover up some problems. I have my second dose booked and it has never crossed my mind that it won't happen.

The trouble is that when there is any sign of any kind of lack of transparency, rumours escalate and get out of control.

PS. Your claim was that the UK's doses will all be manufactured in the UK - they won't - and that's what I was pointing out. I also stated that second doses won't be affected, but vaccinating lower priority groups runs the risk of being delayed.

The vaccine from India was intended to boost the UK supply to enable first doses to be given at the same time as the second doses growstuff, that’s why there is a slowdown in new vaccines planned for April. There is sufficient for the second doses being manufactured in the UK, we were never reliant on Astra Zeneca supplies from the EU. There is obviously a problem with the AZ supply to the EU, but it’s not the same issue as the UK is prioritised for the second doses from the UK plants.

No.