Bureaucratic nonsense

Yes but I'm not sure where that 30 weeks came from if OP agrees she's not 6 calendar months' past till thursday.

Alegrias1

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/

According to your own link

So if she’s past 190 days (which at 30 weeks she is) she’s not trying to game the system

Luckygirl

I am not asking anyone to make an exception for me; I am simply asking that when people try to book they are answered by an efficient system. There is a lot hanging on an effective booster vaccine programme, and it should be made as easy as possible for people to book.

I understood what you meant.

It’s frustrating knowing you have to call back instead of them booking you for after you are eligible

GrannyGravy13

growstuff check local walk-in clinics, I had my third vaccine this morning and there was a sign outside offering walk-ins for 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses.

There is a local walk-in clinic, but I can't book. My local one is currently only doing vaccinations on Saturdays, when I work. I don't want to spend ages queuing when I could be earning money. If I could have a timed appointment, I wouldn't waste so much time queuing. Alternatively, I wouldn't mind travelling to a centre which could offer an appointment when I don't have any work.

The point is that I need to be able to plan it. If there is no alternative to a Saturday, I need to negotiate an alternative time with my Saturday students. I do try to remain professional and give the impression I know what I'm doing . It's half term next week, so there won't be any lessons, so my next scheduled lessons would have been the Saturday I become eligible for vaccination.

It's not something which I'm getting wound up about, but it is annoying that I can't book somewhere in advance. There must be other people in the same situation.

Well ....here's a thing. I have just had a call from the local vaccine centre - this was initiated by the health authority. She said that they are totally fed up with the system as the gap used to be 180 days and everyone was encouraged to book but was then changed to 190 days without warning, so they are the ones having to pick up the pieces of all that.

She said that I should be able to get through to the website on Thursday and book there - she said they had spaces empty so would be happy to fill them. I thanked her and put the phone down.

She then rang back and said she had gone into the website as if she were me and they had allowed her to book for me! So on Saturday afternoon I will be filling one of their vacant slots and will arrive with my sleeve rolled up and raring to go.

It means that the vaccine will have had time to take effect by the time I am riding the trains, so I, and those travelling alongside me, will be better protected. I will then have done all I can.

Does it need to be so complicated I ask myself?

growstuff check local walk-in clinics, I had my third vaccine this morning and there was a sign outside offering walk-ins for 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses.

Yes - the advance booking seems to be no more.

I take your point Luckygirl. I'm two weeks away from being eligible for a booster. I haven't a clue what's going on and just have to be patient. I'm optimistic that I will be offered an appointment, but I'd like to know when, so I can put it in my diary and work round it. The original doses were only offered locally on Saturdays, when I work and can't really afford to lose income. It's possible I can juggle my timetable around or find another vaccination centre, but the point is I need to plan for it. I had hoped I'd be able to make an advance appointment (as I did for my second dose), but it appears the system doesn't allow it.

I don't necessarily have high expectations of the staff manning the phones - I am aware that they are probably doing it for a pittance with little or no support. I would however have high expectations of the well paid people who are employed to plan and set up the systems.

I should make it clear that on all occasions of having frustrated contact with those on the sharp end I was of course unfailingly polite. They have a shit job to do - I am aware of that.

I'm not fond of vinegar, and I'm salty enough as it is.

Did you put too much vinegar on your fish and chips, Alegrias?

Alegrias hence the change in mood and tone, oh wait...

Aveline

*Alegrias*! I thought you were going to make lunch before posting!

I did - fish and chips! Yum....

Let's all just be KIND to the countless workers who are doing whatever they can under enormous pressure. It's really not realistic to expect everyone to get all the new and ever changing covid procedures right as soon as they are conceived. Perhaps too many of us have expectations that are unreasonably high?

Alegrias! I thought you were going to make lunch before posting!

The girl answering the phone isn't very good at arithmetic.

Let’s not blame the girl on the phone.

The girl on the phone is working with a system that allows people to book if they have been invited to book.
If you haven’t been invited to book, them’s the breaks.

Perhaps in the area in question many, many people are eligible because many, many people got their vaccinations very early at the start of the vaccine campaign. Maybe that area hasn’t opened up the booking for people who are 30 weeks past the second dose because there are still people who are much more overdue than that who need to be done first. Maybe some other areas are ahead of the game and have started drop in clinics. Maybe some people who work in priority areas are getting their boosters sooner than the rest of us. Maybe we should all stop feeling so entitled.

But yes, maybe the girl just isn’t very good at arithmetic.
p.s. no age is given for the girl on the phone. But let’s just assume she was a girl.

Elegran

The girl answering the phone isn't very good at arithmetic. "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." Since when has 190 days been less than 182.5 days? Luckygirl wasn't looking for an appointment before she was eligible - concert or no concert.

I think the OP needs to come back and actually clarify the numbers, she said herself that she would not be eligible until Thursday.

The girl answering the phone isn't very good at arithmetic. "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." Since when has 190 days been less than 182.5 days? Luckygirl wasn't looking for an appointment before she was eligible - concert or no concert.

Galaxy

Obviously Alegrias can stick up for herself

Support is always appreciated Galaxy

Obviously Alegrias can stick up for herself

But it was really rude of you to talk about NHS staff in that way who will only be able to work within the system they are given.

Poppyred

Alegrias1

Enlightened? Enlightened?

God give me strength.....

Sounds as if you need some plus some MANNERS!

Saying that someone isn't enlightened because they are doing the job they've been told to do is good manners then is it?

They are real people following the requirements of their jobs, not automated bots there to do what you want them to do.

Alegrias1

Enlightened? Enlightened?

God give me strength.....

Sounds as if you need some plus some MANNERS!

Our local hospital is a Vaccination Hub and have recently made it known that they're accepting 'drop-ins'. Yesterday was our 186th day since our second jab. We called in, were met by a lovely polite receptionist who took our names, D.O.B. and agreed we could have the booster there and then.
There were people of all ages going through having first, second and booster jabs. Exceptionally well organised.
Whether we actually get notified by some administration department that we need to book our boosters remains to be seen.
We certainly don't feel that we've jumped any queues, simply used our intiative.

A litt of these systems are bonkers.

2 positive cases in a 6 person house meant 12 12 long calls from test and trace...

I wanted to throw my phone out of the nearest window