Trying to get vaccinated

When I was an inpatient recently I asked about getting the Covid vaccine because I’m classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (ECV). Apparently other patients on the ward had gotten theirs but I was told that it wouldn’t be possible and that I would have to get in touch with my GP. Apparently staff within the hospital had been using the system to book vaccinations for friends and family by saying that they were an inpatient and as a result they were now only vaccinating staff who could show their ID badge.  I can understand that people are worried about the people that they love but to think that people abused the system in that way makes my blood boil. 

So when I was discharged I rang the GP surgery and was told that they had absolutely nothing to do with the vaccination programme and that I would need to get in touch with NHS England. So I called NHS England and spoke to an adviser who told me that according to the system I wasn’t eligible for a vaccination. I explained my health issues and that I’m classed as ECV but was told that I wasn’t according to the system. Because the advisors aren’t medically trained they’re not allowed to adjust anyone’s status; they’re only allowed to book vaccination appointments for those that the system says yes to. So I was told I needed to speak to the GP surgery. Aaaarrgggghhh! I was going round and round in bloody circles. So I rang the GP surgery again and told them the exact same thing I had told them half an hour earlier and what the chap from NHS England had told me. To my amazement I was told that I wasn’t coded as being ECV on the system and that in order for me to get the vaccine the practice manager would have to update the system. However she wasn’t in and with it being Friday afternoon it wouldn’t be done until Monday at the earliest. 

I tried to book the vaccine online again the following Tuesday but was refused again so rang the GP surgery the next day. The change on the system still hadn’t been done but I was told it would be over the next couple of days. While waiting my cousin had posted on Facebook that in Nottingham they were now vaccinating group 6 which is Clinically Vulnerable (CV) and their carers. So I followed the link and was able to book slots for me and Hubby. 

We went to our local vaccination centre yesterday for our 8.30am appointment. Getting up and dressed at that time of the morning was tough- can’t remember the last time I had been out of bed before 10am! So we get there and register and within minutes we are sat in front of a student doctor in the main hall. There must have been 15-20 stations set up and it was so well organised. We had been told that it was the Phizer jab they were using that morning but because of my severe and multiple allergies I was told it wasn’t suitable for me and that I would need to go back later that afternoon to get the Astra-Zeneca.

Hubby still got his jab- here’s the magic moment...

So I went back at 3pm and got mine. 

Initially I hadn’t wanted to get the vaccination because I was suspicious about how quickly it had been developed and I worried that there may be problems in the future associated with it like Thalidomide. But the last year I’ve practically been a prisoner in my own home and Hubby and the kids have had to make changes to their lives to try to protect me so I did a lot of research which all pointed to the vaccine being safe. I was also advised by my medical team to have it and they wouldn’t tell me that if they had any doubts as to whether it was safe. I do think it’s personal choice though and I wouldn’t think less of anyone who chose not to have it. I certainly don’t think it should be allowed to be a condition of employment where if there’s no jab there’s no job and the government need to legislate to stop employers from discriminating against those who can’t have it or choose not to have it.

I know Hubby feels a lot happier knowing that we have both had our first doses and whilst we will continue to still be very careful we are starting to see the light at the end of lockdown.