UKC

Get booking online if you are 56 or over.  

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/...

I’m 45 and am having mine tomorrow. Was astonished when I got the text to book.

Not in an ‘at risk’ category, but do live in the South Lakes where they appear to be rattling through it, probably in the main to having a lower population than many other areas. 

Feel very privileged to be getting one, can’t wait!

Fantastic.

Second Sputnik tomorrow

JCVI Group 8 is 55 and older.

Do they do it by age 59+, then 58+, then 57+ and now 56+ rather than all group 8 including 55 yo?

Also, check your GP has your details correct to make sure you get your correct place in the queue! My mum (63) only just got allocated hers yesterday have had to go through all the helplines as her "date of birth doesn't exist"! So presumably the GP just didn't have her date of birth on her records! It took quite a few calls to get it sorted, so worth just checking your records are correct!

Awesome. I have mine next Wednesday but I'm an old duffer at 61.

Just booked, thanks for the heads up.  Earliest date in my area is 31/3 which is a fair waiting time. 

Not in Scotland, yet.  Still 65 yrs and over (unless other eligibility applies). Government have confirmed their expectation that all over 50s will have first dose by mid April though.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/invitations-and-appointments/wh...

I’m having mine tomorrow too. I’m 47 but for some reason my GP’s have me down as high risk 

Not sure why but I’m sure as hell getting it done

We are in Scotland and although I have had mine (I am 73) my wife is 65 in early April and hasn't had an invite yet.

That's a puzzle. Scotland 31% and UK 30% have same vaccination rates of whole population so you'd think similar age groups would be vaccinated at pretty much the same time.

Me and Mrs Wainers are off for ours now. Think we got picked up by the system as we are both volunteers for the GP practice....mind we are of the required age too!

One of my neighbours is 65 and had his, but his wife at 64 is still waiting.

I haven't a clue I'm afraid.  I just shared it so that people can get booking.

I'd guess it is a numbers thing, the next x thousand people happens to be the people 56 to 60.  

Didn't realise it was different sorry.  I'm sure it won't be long.

Brill! Just booked mine 😀

What's 47 in sheep years? 🐏

In my area it seems that they are doing parallel 2 groups, the vulnerable younger people are being done at GPs and the age groups at the centres.  No idea if that is happening elsewhere.  

Letter through the door just now and booked in for Tuesday week.....brilliant news .....

I looked at figures, a while ago now though, and there were large differences in vaccination rates between regions (let alone smaller areas within) in Scotland, but the average may well be similar to England.

We’re on an invite system (can’t self book online) so the official website will prob not even reflect the average group being invited, but maybe the slowest parts?  If they updated to even average state there would be a lot of people phoning up complaining and trying to get an appointment.

There have been some supply problems, IT problems, for example which have caused different rates in different parts. Fife managed to double book 7000 appointment for the 70 yrs and over groups which caused a knock on effect.

Edit: A quick google suggests vaccination rate varies from 27% to 50% completed between regions of Scotland. Edinburgh and Glasgow at the bottom.

I’m sure it won’t, thanks.

The omnicalculator today says from 10th March for over 60s if you believe that! You can’t, of course, as it has been totally inaccurate so far. Just 10 days ago it was showing 6th May for 60s and over, yet the same day the government confirmed that they still expected all over 50s to be offered by mid April!

Are you sure? My brother aged 34 in Croydon got his jab last week. He had no idea he was considered at risk, and thought he must be getting it because he's a teacher and he thinks the local doctor's had spare jabs to use because of people turning it down (he had a Pfizer.) However, he is mildly epileptic and had ticked a box saying so when he joined his local GP...and it turned out that much to his surprise he is in group 6 (vulnerable adults).

Weirdly, I actually have mild temporal lobe epilepsy, which is under control. So my assumption may well be wrong.

My wife’s 2 years younger than me, so if she doesn’t get a text soon, I may indeed be vulnerable, which feels odd!

Either way, I’m exceptionally grateful. 

Just done some Googling and you’re right!

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/...

Just got the letter and now booked

I must admit I was surprised in Penrith at the number of much younger and fit looking people queuing to be vaccinated in the hospital.  Felt a bit cheated at having to get up at sparrow's fart tomorrow to go out of my local area to Kendal in a clapped out car. (Soon turning 65).

Pity that vaccine taken up in Russia seems pretty low... I don’t get it as I’d have expected a strong culture of vaccination from back in the Soviet years.

Feels like an eternity some times when trying to drag my arse out for a run

Think it is was on my GPs Facebook page, but I have seen the same. 

Explantation was that identifying those with pre existing medical conditions was best done by the GP. So by encouraging the rest of us to use the big centres it freed up capacity for them to concentrate on the vulnerable and those who were unable to travel.

Yeah, I tried on Thursday night, and was ineligible. Tried again yesterday whilst testing what data you needed, and got in. Booked in for the 15th.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/off_belay/get_your_jab_now-731766?v=1#x94...

[edit: I was obviously so excited, I forgot to add that I had booked...]

It accepted my NHS #. It didn't recognise my personal details. I wonder who I need to chase to find out what that is...

Probably type one diabetics etc.  May look healthy but are at higher risk. 

Having the jab is seen as a statement of support for Putin.

Got the letter today. Jabs booked within minutes for this Weds, then May.

yes, that's what I thought afterwards.  I think the crux of the problem is lack of provision in N Cumbria.  As our head of public health wasn't even pre-briefed before the govt went public with changes in tier status for Cumbria I dont think he thinks his position is given much importance by the govt except for flak taking

Just booked mine for 17th March, closest available was for Workington which is a bit of a trek but well worth it!

yes, to put my comments in context I jumped at the chance

Similar here in Wales - I'm in the 55-59 group and haven't been called for mine yet; a friend in the same health authority who's younger and also with no underlying health conditions got an appointment through the post. I'm guessing it's because my part of the HA (Vale) has a higher percentage of older people than in Cardiff.

This article has a map of vaccination rates by area. At first glance, it looks like a postcode lottery. However as pointed out in the article, the distribution of priority groups across the country is uneven. It would be interesting to see vaccination rates as a % of currently eligible people. It could also be that different areas are just a few % apart in some cases but fall into different deciles. Still, interesting. 
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-56293839

That's a good map. Like you say age distributions vary and I'm not surprised that several city centre LAs have lower vaccination rates than their surrounding LAs as they will have a younger population. It really does emphasise the problem in London though. I'm not sure how far London is behind in terms of offering it to people (it can't be that far, since as per above my brother got offered his in group 6 a week ago.)  There are obviously quite a lot of young people but a lot of the difference must be relatively low take-up.

You don't need to wait to be called......just try booking direct online. If you are in the right age cohort, you should be able to book your appointment. You just need your long NHs number. As others have said, if you can't book, just try every day.

In Wales?

By pure coincidence the letter arrived today - she has a jag booked for next week.

I’m south lakes and 51 but haven’t heard anything !

That link has me concerned. It says you must book both the first and second at the same time but when the Mrs booked hers 2 weeks ago she was told by our doctors that she can't book the second yet and will be contacted closer to the time. This is the same doctors that sent her a shielding letter in late July last year despite being type 1 diabetic, having bad asthma and kidney problems. 

I'm vaccinating at a site run by the local GPs practice. We're very much focused on the priority groups at present. The age profile is visible coming down but will soon shoot back up when we get the over 80s back in for their second dose. 

I'm 56 and booked mine earlier. Took a while to get it right and by the time I'd got to the end of the process my first choice date and time had gone. Going Thursday now and second on the 2nd June. Pride park in Derby.

I turn 55 in April. Knowing my luck they'll finish the 55-60s the day before my birthday, then start on the 50-54s when I'm no longer in that group!

You will still be older than the threshold; there's no upper age limit. Therefore, you will be able to book...

<quote>
Who can use this service
You can only use this service if any of the following apply:
you are aged 56 or over
...
</quote>

Why don't you get a sheepdog to accompany you. That would keep you on your toes!

The link is for ths big vaccination centres.  My mum and dad were vaccinated at the GP and they haven't got 2nd appointments yet either. 

Maybe start contacting the GP after 10 weeks?  

That’s good news. Presumably working on booking 60 - 64 yrs now. I’ll hopefully get my letter soon. 

In case anyone is wondering what on earth their NHS number is, in England you can use this link to find out.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/

Just need you name, DOB and postcode and you get a text straight away if you have your mobile number registered with you GP or they send you a letter. Just did it and it took less than a minute to request and receive. Impressed! Apparently the number should be stated on any GP or hospital correspondence but don't think I've ever received any.

 At the grand old age of 40, I'm quietly hopeful of getting the first jab in April. If the vaccination rate does increase to 3-4m a week from the week after next, they will get through the vast majority of the priority groups by the end of March, at which point there will be a narrow window of opportunity to get a lot of the over 40s done before the number of second jabs has to go up significantly, which will slow down the roll out of first doses.

It is also on the piece of paper that comes with your prescription so anyone who is on regular medication may be able to find it on the repeat medication form.  

Someone else said that the people don't want to be supporting Putin. It is also possible that it is because they don't trust the vaccine, as it has not been produced with evidence-based testing. It's been put out without adequate statistical methods.

SWMBO had her letter (similar age and area) so tipped me off.  Done

The first 4 sites offered were about an hour's drive away (Burnley, Accrington, Morecambe, Lancaster, Kendal), so picked the one with the soonest availablility.
Going to Lancaster on Thursday, would have gone sooner but have appointment to give blood (donor) on Weds (and blood donor people say to wait 7 days after covid jab to give blood and I don't want to delay either)
Age 56 (so scraped in...)
Not waiting for GP referral (which would be closer distance-wise but might be a long way off time-wise)

I suspect the simpler answer is that a large proportion of my former compatriots are morons.

Ahh that makes sense, let's have multiple ways of coordination on a national level. 

Unfortunately can't do that, our GP refuses point blank to discuss anything related to getting the vaccination. All they will say is you will be informed when you are due. It was the same with shielding, they wouldn't talk to you about it just said if you are at risk you will be informed. As I said before the Mrs was informed at the end of July just as everything was unlocking. Fortunately her boss is great and let her work from home from February but you can see how much fsith I have in our local GP. 

How did you manage that? Mrs R booked in when Workington first became available on Tuesday and the 19th was the earliest available.

Queue jumper! 😃

I'm 28 and have no underlying health conditions so was a bit surprised when I got the text through. I questioned it with my gp and they explained to find vulnerable people they basically search your records for keywords. In my case when I travelled to Guatemala in 2015 my GP had advised me to keep a look out for deep vein thrombosis and noted so on my records which flagged me as vulnerable.

At this stage I was being offered the vaccine before my 64year old mum so I would've felt a bit guilty about getting it and it does annoy me the amount of people on social media in their 20's 30's and 40's just going for it when they know they have no health conditions. Theres still a free hundred people dying every day and every person my age that takes the vaccine is one less for actually vulnerable people. 

It's not surprising that there are anomolies thrown up by a system that was put together so quickly to cover the whole country.  We could, of course, delayed the roll out by 4 weeks to develop a more foolproof selection criterion but I'm personally happy with the way it's been handled.

After all, lock down can't really be eased until vaccinations have been given to a large proportion of the population so if you aren't actually in the front line, the order in which the vaccine is administered is of secondary importance to getting it out there.

Better to find a people who aren't really vulnerable than miss people who really are vulnerable.

If your online options are early vaccination or withdraw from vaccination then book the vaccination asap and pick the latest date you can if you wish.

The two nearest centres do not appear on the list when I try and book.

Neither do the two nearest hospital hubs.

I'd rather it pick up ananomalies than miss people that's for sure and I'm not criticising the system. It took 5 minutes to phone the GP and they just put you back into the pot for your age range but seems like many people just seem to be taking it. They can then offer that vaccine to someone else, seems like the right thing to do rather than taking it knowing theres many more people out there that are at much higher risk. 

👍👍👍👍👍👍

I didn't realise it was so flexible.

It depends, if you’re working in a customer facing role it would make sense to take the opportunity as it should protect other people as well as yourself, whereas if you WFH it makes sense to pass on the opportunity as long as you don’t miss out later. 

Website now says you can book if you are 55.

I've just had my first Astra Zeneca, yay! What an uplifting experience - plenty of staff thanks to volunteers, thought through procedures, slightly run down facilities, everyone very positive and friendly. The UK at its best.

This helped me find out...... that my GP had ignored my change of address letter!

That link just said no at first but then when I tried my old address it offered to post my NHS number there.
Also found out my GP's online form for change of details, buried in the darkest corner of their website and presumed non-existent at the time I moved, only works during surgery opening hours. It's there, but greyed out when they're closed. And yes, all it does is send them an email.
Figure that one out.

Anyway, lesson is check your GP has the right details!

Bunting flapping in the wind?

I didn't get the impression that  a visit from Bunter would have been much appreciated. Or that many of his chumocracy 'management consultants', 'facilities managers' etc etc had much to do with it all.  

 Now that they’re down to 56, do you think that they should continue to 45 and then start from 18 up, given that the street bars etc are likely to open soon?

Down to 55 today...

Sound idea - but can we continue to 44?

Yes

There appears to be some problem with their database. I have plenty of correspondence from the NHS that has my name/dob/postcode correct, but if I use those exact details in that form, it doesn't recognise me.

So, most of the NHS is able to correctly reference me, but that form (and the covid appointment site using the same query engine) cannot. This might also explain why I wasnt able to book a covid test online back in August.

Whilst I managed to get my jabs sorted as soon as I saw your post, after I told my mate and my brother in law separately they have had no success at all in getting an appointment here in the north east. My mate tried 15times today and the soonest he could get locally was June 1st. He could have had an earlier appointment in either Kendal or Knaresborough both about 60miles away. It appears that the system is showing available dates until you get near the end of the booking process and the dates disappear. They are getting somewhat frustrated.  I’m now rather smug. I shouldn’t be but i am. 

Another one here.

I was expecting to book at Kendal/Ulverston in a couple of weeks time, I'm 50, and use the essential journey as an excuse for a walk in the lakes. Just had text from Castlegate Surgery and getting mine on Friday  

I currently have a damaged foot so rang my GP surgery yesterday morning. Got an appointment within 2 hours and a physio booked for next week. She also asked if I'd been jabbed, so I've got that coming up on Friday at 16.26hrs. Impressive or what?

Scotland is inviting 60 - 65 yrs now. Got my letter today for a Monday appointment! Nicola is also expecting an increase in vaccination rate very soon and said that both 55-60 and 50-55 yrs will be getting invited shortly.

That's good, I'm starting to get jealous of those Cumbrian youngsters!

You're safe. Despite being in the cohort below Mrs Ridge for vaccination, I've just managed to book my 1st Jab 4 days before her....

Looks like UK supply will be 4.9M per week from end March.

"Over the next few weeks the volume of vaccine available to Scotland is expected to increase and provided these supplies arrive, the vaccination infrastructure in Scotland is ready to deliver around 400,000 vaccines a week from the end of the March."

https://www.gov.scot/news/under-60s-to-begin-receiving-vaccination-invitati...

Castlegate seem to have a plenty of vaccine. Sister in law has been able to book a slot for next week even though she lives in Carlisle. 

via the website?

No she contacted the surgery directly. Just needed NHS number. A friend in Appleby has just tried and been told they are busy at the moment and they will phone back. That was the same with MrsJ's sister. She didn't expect a call back. She phoned yesterday and was contacted today. 

Thanks Rob

Already booked in via NHS at Workington on Tuesday. Will have to go to Carlisle for second jab though.

Friend from Appleby has just been phoned back and has an appointment next week 

Where did you discover that? 

This site says over 55: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/...

North Cumbria CCG website says they are doing over 60s (https://northcumbriaccg.nhs.uk/contact-us/coronavirus-information) - which I know isn't true because my partner has got his booked in and he is under 60.

In general, I'm fairly happy to wait my turn and tolerate some ambiguity in the info coming out.  But it is a little bit frustrating that there seem to be different things being said in different places.

One of Mrs J's facebook groups. We have quite a few friends who are teachers in their 50's so keen to get it as soon as possible.

Yes, seems a bit odd, my 91 year old auntie (Mid Wales) only had it a couple of weeks ago. I've just had mine done, really efficient, arrived at 15:08 for a 15:10 appointment and was back on my bike by 15:14! It''s our surgery so we were contacted by text for our appointments. I might be wrong, but get the impression that as North Cumbria doesn't have a mass vaccination centre some of the smaller centres here have been prioritised for vaccine delivery and Cockermouth has more than it needs for their 50+'s.

Your post confused me a bit as I read it as meaning that everyone over 50 in Cumbria was now being called up for their jab.  Ah well, I guess we should always have expected a very large amount of regional variation given how things are.  And I would hate to get in the way of somebody my age or older who has a job where they have to mix with other people indoors, given that I currently don't have to do that.  I think I had best stop thinking about it and be patient.

It's now down to 50 on the NHS site

Ha ... thanks.  Just tried and it said I'm not eligible.  I'm 50, so maybe over 50 means 51 and above!

Edited to add - it says 'if you are 50 of over' ... so I should be eligible.  It's all a mystery.

29 Feb baby?

Good thinking, but no.

Keep trying. My understanding is that data is being transferred between systems, so you may be unlucky in that your name hasn't made it through yet. I'm 50, in Cumbria, and booked this morning.

Yes, will just keep trying I think.  Glad it worked for you.

Going to get mine this afternoon, I’m 54.

My husband had his yesterday, he’s away to work this morning, so Im assuming no significant side-effects

My wife just got bookings in Grasmere!  2nd in June when it will be horrendous!

First jab sucessfully done, but a 'technical issue' means I now have to try and rebook my second in a couple of days. Oh well.

Got mine in Workington today ( Lakeland fells looked gorgeous!)

Didn't they just!

I was quite impressed by the set up in Workington, they were very slick when I went.

Felt bloody rough about 10 hours later though. Hopefully the second dose isn't as bad.

Ha! The kids these days can't take their medicine ... Actually, my own experience was feeling very tired on various days in the following week or two. I had AZ.

Had mine this afternoon.  Very well organised, in and out in less than 10 minutes.

I got really cold to the point I was shivering in front of the fire, went to bed, and just couldn't sleep. Dull headache and skin was very sensitive. Felt a bit tired and headache this morning, but seem ok now.

Had mine today at the Westmorland Shopping Centre. Efficient. A bit like trying to get into a nightclub at the entrance. Didn't feel the jab going in and feel fine now, so am wondering whether I even got it.

A funny time to have it, a couple of days after the dire Euro panics over brain blood clots and on precisely the same day that 'Covid vaccines for England's under-50s delayed due to major shortage' is announced.

Mrs C ( or should that be " the wife" ? ) had hers on Monday and has felt headachey and tired for a few days.

I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it affects me.

As far as I can tell there aren't any more blood clots than would be expected by pure random chance.  

I'm 40 so nearly fell off my chair when I got a text from the GP at 9pm last night inviting me to book. They had several slots free for today so I figured I wasn't going to deprive some old lady of her slot. Had it 3 hours ago and all good so far but see how it is in the morning. They said they had moved on to the over 40s - wonder if they will pause that following today's somewhat cryptic leak (it wasn't exactly an official announcement). I suspect the reason the GP surgery is ahead of the curve is that there are relatively few older people living in their catchment area, which covers parts of central Birmingham (lots of 20s to 40s living in flats) as well as some family type housing.

No, quite. Btw, thanks a lot for the heads up in your OP; I booked it straight away. My letter only arrived some days later.

Any joy?

I had mine on Saturday at Preston. The rent-a-security that were doing the 'welcome' were very keen to find out if I had any knives on me, if I used one at work and might have put one in my pocket by mistake, if I had a knife on my key ring and could they see my keys. They didnt really check any other details, gave me a new mask and a squirt of gel, and sent me to the second stage. They did take, and then double checked, my details. They gave me the AZ jab. No issues, no bruises and the next day I went for a run.

Was it a rough part of Preston?

"Are you carrying a knife, Sir?"

"No"

"Wouldn't go in there without one if I were you".

But seriously, WTF?

Is there a nice part? I suppose there must be, as there's a Waitrose. (But it's along way from the center of town.)

It wasn't just me, the couple behind me got the same questions. I can understand and fully support them, protecting the NHS workers. If one was intent on attacking them, then I suppose it would catch out the less cunning attackers.

The GP probably thinks you are 2 inches tall and worried about your BMI.

Yes. Kept trying and eventually booked both my slots on the same day I posted here about it.  Had my first one in Ingleton on Saturday so a bonus trip out to the Dales.  Off to Grasmere in June for number 2 hopefully.