Bureaucratic nonsense

It certainly seems to vary up here. My friend was sent an appointment for 8am at a location literally miles from her and which would necessitate three changes of bus. She phoned the number given and was (eventually) told that it was the wrong number despite its being printed on the letter as the one to contact. The call centre lady did apologise and told my friend that she had lots of calls about this. I hope it's been sorted out.
Meanwhile, DH and I received our invitations for Covid booster and flu vaccinations on the same day, time and convenient venue. Obviously very variable around the country.

lemongrove

You are in Scotland Baggs so maybe a different set of criteria
Than England?
Also may depend on local health authority areas.Certainly in mine we had to wait for the exact time to the day, and then were immediately offered a time slot.

Clearly, it's not THAT critical though.

Perhaps it also depends on what flavour of jab one's getting. All mine have been Pfizer.

So, to get it clear in my simple mind at least…

This is what it says in a bright yellow box on the covid booster booking page on the NHS website:
‘Important
If you have not been contacted and it's been 6 months and 1 week (190 days) since your 2nd dose, please try to book your appointment using this service.’
6 months is 182.5 days, and the 190 days must be up for you this Thursday Luckygirl if I have understood correctly?

If that is the case and you book on Thursday you should be able to get your vaccination before you go on holiday next month when it will be 30 weeks after your second dose. You can’t be accused of queue jumping if you do that. I can understand you wanting to get it sorted before you go on holiday, I would too.

In Scotland? Working in healthcare or similar (guess)?

Apples and oranges.

Just my opinion, of course.

You are in Scotland Baggs so maybe a different set of criteria
Than England?
Also may depend on local health authority areas.Certainly in mine we had to wait for the exact time to the day, and then were immediately offered a time slot.

It could be, of course, that the health authority where I live is so Scheisse that it was bureaucratic idiocy that made us get our jabs too soon and We're All Doomed!

Anyway, lucky, I sympathise.

Alegrias1

Sorry, but what I think is barmy is somebody who thinks they should move up the queue because they have a concert to go to.

First world problems.

Just your opinion.

I was thinking that my 6 months must be up when I got a text telling me I could now book the booster. Clicked on the link and was given a choice of locations, dates and times. Took about two minutes to book.

At work (where it matters for other people if we are vaccinated against covid) I was given number to ring to book my booster jab. I rang it, though not for a few days, got straight through to a human, booked an appointment and had the jab just short of 29 weeks after my second.

I had no idea I had "queue jumped" until just now when I counted the weeks. Had a flu jab at the same time. Some of my colleagues had their booster less than 28 weeks after their second innoculation. I doubt they noticed that either. Like me they just used the phone number they were given and got on with it.

So, it would seem lucky is right and either silly bureaucracy or a not very flexible bookings person, or both, have been the cause of her frustration.

I agree Alegrias
It may be annoying Luckygirl but you have to wait until the exact time has arrived, and cannot book ahead of time, that’s how the system has been set up to work, therefore it is working efficiently.

In our area they are doing walk-in clinics for the Booster. You can go as soon as you are eligible

I'm going to cook lunch before I post something I shouldn't.

But first...the NHS website is explicit in talking about " at least six months ". "You will be invited to book", it says. It doesn't say "call us up and see if we can fit you in earlier because you want to go on holiday".

So, we could get up in arms about it and angry because its more than 6 months, or we could appreciate that this is a huge undertaking and they will got round to us all, and that going on holiday isn't a reason to want your booster quicker.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-booster-vaccine/

I’m confused, because at 30 weeks post second dose Luckygirl is 3 weeks after the date she should have received her second dose. By any calculation 6 months is 26 weeks surely, it’s manipulating the figures to be told she isn’t eligible?

Luckygirl

I am NOT asking for special treatment. I am simply asking to be able to book speedily and efficiently in order to protect myself and others.

My wish to be able to book as soon as possible after the agreed eligibility date is simply common sense and for the good of all.

I don't understand the numbers here (and trust me I'm quite good with numbers) so forgive me if I get it wrong. But the gov.uk website says you are eligible to try to book if you had it 6 months and one week ago.

"If you have not received an invite but it's been 6 months and 1 week (190 days) since your 2nd dose, you can try to book your appointment online without an invite."

We are talking NHS technology, and anyone with a memory will know that the NHS throws billions of £s on IT from consultancy companies leading to incredibly expensive failures (NPfIT anyone?)

I understand where Luckygirl is coming from. If we are trusting in artificial intelligence to diagnose our diseases, (such as BabylonHealth so loved by Matt Hancock), then it shouldn't be beyond the powers of reason for a simple algorithm to work out from your NHS records the date of your last Covid jab, add on 6 months (don't recall any reason being give by TPTB for an extra week) and offer an appointment beyond that date at a centre close by.

As I recall, when I had my first jab, the second was booked immediately afterwards, but that was done manually by the helpful lady sitting in front of the computer!

So I don't thing Luckygirl deserves the flak some of you are giving her.

I can see where you are coming from Luckygirl, having battled with the phone booking system, it is frustrating to be told to phone again in a few days.

I am not a computer expert but I guess that when a programme is being developed, certain parameters have to be set up and if the system works on dates to ascertain eligibility, it’s likely that appointments outside the set timeframes can be made. I think computer programmes use logic and data so don’t have the flexibility to make exceptions that a human being might have.

Frustrating for users of the system but part of our lives now I’m afraid.

I'm in Scotland Luckygirl, where we get sent an appointment, turn up and get vaccinated. Or at least that's what my DP and all their friends have done, as they are higher priority than me.

So while I might have some sympathy with issues in booking your vaccination, I do have some problems feeling sorry for you because you wanted to get ahead of the curve and turn up on day 25 weeks + 1, when that is not necessary and not what is being recommended.

We seem to have got into this situation where people are concerned that if they wait an extra week or two, suddenly we'll all turn into high risk, infectious people who need to stay away from others.

I am NOT asking for special treatment. I am simply asking to be able to book speedily and efficiently in order to protect myself and others.

My wish to be able to book as soon as possible after the agreed eligibility date is simply common sense and for the good of all.

I'm sorry, are we having an argument here about whether the NHS should calculate in calendar months or lunar months?

The NHS's right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing is not the same as wanting special treatment before you're eligible and calling the people on the phone unenlightened.

(I know that wasn't you Luckygirl)

I think it depends on the area. Ours was easy. We went online, chose our date, time and venue (church hall 10 minutes walk away). They were vaccinating people with no appointments who had just walked in

If Grab-a-Jab is for first and second doses only, then why did the health authority recommend me to contact them to get the booster?

This is exactly what I am talking about - muddle and misinformation over something that is very important indeed.

I have friends in the village who are in their 90s and eligible for the booster on all criteria, but they have been battling for the last few weeks trying to get theirs booked.

Enlightened? Enlightened?

God give me strength.....

Grab-a-Jab is for first and second doses only.

I agree with you Luckygirl bonkers! Clearly lacking in common sense but hey ho when you ring on Thursday you will hopefully get through to someone a little more enlightened! ?