Flu jab early call-September!: I have been contacted... - NRAS

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Flu jab early call-September!

Green230461 profile image
77 Replies

I have been contacted already by my GP to get my annual flu jab. I have been called early because I have been shielding. I’m not complaining, just wondered if anyone else has had this conversation yet?

Thank you😎

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Green230461 profile image
Green230461
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77 Replies

Not heard from my gp but my pharmacist has booked me in mid September. He’s more on the ball than my gp

Swimming20 profile image
Swimming20 in reply to

Yes same here..am booked in but not by GP xx

allanah profile image
allanah

Yes asked my gp when phoning for something else, they said I'd get an appointment

I msgd the GP surgery yesterday asking when stocks would be available and they have no clue when they’ll be able to provide it from - both myself and my 12 yo are very high risk and have been on the shielding list. Last year we were both pretty late getting it due to stock issues and her being hospitalised, and I’m now thinking I’d rather pay to get it ASAP than wait for the surgery who are currently saying ‘maybe’ the end of September.

in reply to

If you go to your pharmacist those entitled to a free flu jab can have it done there instead

in reply to

That’s really helpful - thank you!

Green230461 profile image
Green230461

Thank you! I was starting to get paranoid about shielding!!

Summerrain14 profile image
Summerrain14

Yes I have been lucky and when having my bloods done on Monday they booked me in for my flu jab on the 19th September. The nurse was keen to get me booked in for the first batch of flu jabs. I feel very well looked after. 😊

Sheila_G profile image
Sheila_G in reply to Summerrain14

I am glad you said that. I thought mine on 23rd September was late so seems like it is in the first lot. Thanks x

Summerrain14 profile image
Summerrain14 in reply to Sheila_G

No problem at all! I think GP surgery’s are starting the flu vaccines mid September so we will be in the first lot of people to receive them I think. Feeling so lucky to be so well looked after 😊 x

wishbone profile image
wishbone

I'm shielding and just had a blood test at my GP surgery and the nurse said to phone about a flu jab in the second week of October. Vaccinations will be held in our local YMCA as the GP surgery is not suitable for fast problem free entry and exit.

As an aside....me got toothache and will probably have the offending incisor extracted within the next week or so. :-O Me not very happy! :-(

Green230461 profile image
Green230461 in reply to wishbone

Poor you! Nothing worse than toothache and because we have been locked away our teeth have been happily rotting away. Hope it goes well🤤😬

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Green230461

Thanks. :-)

It's only a niggle at the minute but am getting it seen to ASAP just in case the virus becomes more active in the autumn/winter.

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to wishbone

Yes better to go now I say too. The dentists will be well established with their extra cleansing routines between each patient etc. I’m hanging on to some semi perm fillings as I was partially through some treatment for a bridge. As I had an op with n match and been shielding since end of Feb I’m in no rush to go unless it hurts. Hope you aren’t in pain, Wish. 😑

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Neonkittie17

The receptionist explained the procedure over the phone and it does seem very good. Still, can't say I won't feel a bit anxious with the dentist and her assistant in close proximity to my wide open mouth! :-O It's just a niggle but I'm getting it sorted while the corvid infection rate is low. A long waiting list for fillings apparently and are only doing temps, at least in the short term, so I'm having it extracted. That will will be two upper incisors short as I had a front tooth pulled 6 or so months back. There's a certain something about a bloke with a front tooth missing don't you think?...perhaps best not answer that one! :-)

Green230461 profile image
Green230461 in reply to wishbone

Only if you want to look like a pirate! I have a Maryland bridge a false tooth hovering between two of my own. Implant kept falling out....

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Green230461

Never heard of a Maryland Bridge. Just googled it up and they seem like a good solution to a missing tooth, and looks to be less intrusive than other methods. You have to fork out a fair old sum for one though, so think I'll have to stick with my gaps! :-)

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to wishbone

Oh I don’t know Wish, I always fancied Jimmy Nail and he had his front tooth missing most of the time! 🤪😁💗I know Mrs Wish won’t mind you having a couple of teeth short! Health is more important and when this is safer you can see if you want some putting in.

That dentist surgery will be sprayed to the hilt with anti-bac and they’ve most probably got UV treatment for cleansing it too.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Neonkittie17

The dental recptionist pretty much reassured me they take every precaution. I wouldn't think the dentist wants to get infected either.

Jimmy Nail! :-O You'll be telling me you fancy Shane MacGowan of the Pogues next! :-)

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to wishbone

Nooooooo. He’s plug ugly! Jimmy had a certain aura about him .. and his voice was very good. He did an excellent cover of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore. (You’ll be thinking Mr Neonkitty is a toothless ugly! Anything but .. he’s rather handsome with a toothpaste advert smile! He paying me to say this of course! 😝No, he’s a handsome guy. On the other hand, I’m the plug ugly one! 🤪)

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Neonkittie17

Jimmy's ok and better looking than me. :-)

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to wishbone

I have a feeling you’ve not been beaten with the ugly stick! My friend married what she called her ugly lovely man as she says no one else would interested! Crazy and he is actually very nice. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder my gran and mum always said! Also it’s your personality. No one wants a very vain partner! A bit of vanity in taking pride in appearance is allowed.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Neonkittie17

I hope you don't think I'm being vain wanting gappy teeth!?............ ;-)

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to wishbone

Not at all! 😂. Seriously you can’t really sensibly have any false ones anyhow until gums fully settle etc but if it doesn’t affect your eating and you haven’t any reason to have them put in, in these times you’d leave alone extra dental work anyhow. I will get my bridge work done when it’s less chaotic and unless something starts to hurt I’ll just wait to hear for my next inspection. They always get in touch. I went in late January. I brush twice a day and sometimes three and floss well every day. However since the oral steroids in 2015/26, my teeth have not been the same.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Neonkittie17

The dentist was not at all happy when I asked her to take my front tooth out 6 months ago. She said she would only do it providing I had a false one fitted later on, which I agreed to of course and am still waiting. :-) If I eventually do end up with a false toof then I can't see me wearing it as I'm quite happy being called 'Gappy' by Mrs Wisbone. :-)

Ruth12345 profile image
Ruth12345 in reply to wishbone

Hope you get sorted soon.

Thanks for flaging this up. Oh very high risk due to 29% lung function capacity (COPD since child) has tooth issue but waiting till covid rate lower. As you say it may increase but hadn't connected that with his tooth problem. Will suggest tomorrow he gets it sorted before weather worsens.....oops too late it's chilly n cold..... : ) : ) : )

Thanks

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Ruth12345

Thanks Ruth, I'm nearly 70 and am not bothered in the slightest if I have a couple of front teeth missing. I may seem a bit paranoid, but I'd rather get it pulled as soon as I can rather than have a temp filling then having to wait lord knows how long for a proper filling when the virus may well have kicked off again. I have a triage phone appointment with the dentist on wednesday and hope she is willing to take the thing out as she wasn't at all keen extracting my front tooth 6 months ago. Different set of circumstances this time though.

Sorry to hear about your lungs Ruth, you probably know I have lung issues as well... I yap on about it enough anyway. :-)

Ruth12345 profile image
Ruth12345 in reply to wishbone

I get your decision about your teeth. Lung issues are my oh (other half) I only have allergy asthma plus other issues of course, but chest wise I'm quite fortunate there.

All the best with the dentist : ) : )

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli in reply to wishbone

Ooh, nasty! I do hope you can find a dentist willing and able to help.

Ms-D profile image
Ms-D in reply to wishbone

Hope you feel better. On top of this a tooth ache is not the best. But its Friday so happy days. Im enjoying my last few days off before School starts on Tuesday.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Ms-D

Thanks Ms-D, it's just a little niggle at the minute but there is decay present so I'm hoping to have it extracted out of the way, and now is as good a time as any with covid infections as they curently are.

Ms-D profile image
Ms-D in reply to wishbone

Well hope it works out. Thinking of you x

marvalusxoxo profile image
marvalusxoxo in reply to wishbone

Mr. Wishbone I am sorry you are having teeth issues since those a bit difficult to deal with. I do hope all goes well in a timely matter for you. Do keep us posted it if you will.☺

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to marvalusxoxo

Thank you Miss/Mrs Marvalusxoxo, :-)

Will update when something happens. I'm hoping it won't be much longer than a fortnight to have the tooth taken out.

Boxerlady profile image
Boxerlady

My pharmacist rang me to say that they're booking people in for September (he gave me my free one last year when the surgery ran out) so I'm booked in for 23rd. He's going to give me an appointment for the pneumonia jab too 😊

Green230461 profile image
Green230461

Just heard about flu jab on the news too😃

Lolabridge profile image
Lolabridge

How lucky you are to have such a proactive GP surgery and that you have your jab booked.

I was advised by my specialist nurse last week to ask my GP to schedule my flu jab for 6-8 weeks after my last Rituximab infusion and warn them I've been shielding and am still at high risk. So I phoned at the beginning of this week and the receptionist didn't seem to have any idea about what would be offered, when or how. "Shielding is over" she said but I pointed out that actually it has only been paused, but I am still high risk and so following advise from my specialist. My GP is on holiday so I left a message asking her to contact me on her return. By then I expect bookings will probably all have been allocated for the time frame I need! Grrr!

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge

So frustrating, as the government may have said shielding has ended but our vulnerabilities have not. 🤨

Green230461 profile image
Green230461

Yes I am lucky especially when I hear the stories of some poor sufferers. Hope you are successful too.

Neonkittie17 profile image
Neonkittie17

I was told blood test appointments were booking up fast and flu jab appointments were starting soon when I phoned to make my blood test appointment, but I don’t have the flu jab or haven’t ever so far. Will discuss soon with my rheumy nurse. So yes they are starting early and probably as more people may want them the practice are getting the priority patients vaccinated first. Good they are on the ball and contacted you early.

bunnycaramel profile image
bunnycaramel

Spoken to my pharmacist and they are due to arrive around the 12th September. So will let me know. My GP is useless told I didn’t need to shield in April by mid May panicking that I should be shielding. Fortunately I made the decision to shield so they were relieved.

medway-lady profile image
medway-lady

I had a text to say 'flu jabs coming soon about a fortnight ago and don't forget to have yours! Our GP's like technology so no doubt the text will soon arrive your date is booked etc.

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli

We've heard absolutely nothing from our wonderful surgery which is pretty much par for the course so it's good to hear you have a more proactive GP

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Gnarli

Doubt I would hear anything from mine if I hadn't asked the bloods nurse today.

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli in reply to wishbone

It's not getting better is it? It wasn't that long ago that the medical profession bothered with their patients...

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Gnarli

You may know that my surgery twice refused to give me a rheumy required blood test because I was shielding. It was only when rheumy intervened that they decided to do it.

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli in reply to wishbone

What! I wish I could say that was unbelievable. At least our surgery sent a letter and a blood form so they could do bloods for me. That's an abysmal service you have there and I'm sorry for it

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply to Gnarli

I was a bit surprised when they told me. Rheumy weren't happy issuing me with a repeat prescription for baricitinib without having my bloods done, but let it go the first time and sent me a prescription for a 3 month supply. No such luck 3 months later when the surgery refused for a second time. It was then that the rheumy nurse told me she would be getting in touch with them. A couple of days later the surgery phoned me to arrange an appointment.

Gnarli profile image
Gnarli in reply to wishbone

Thank goodness for your rheumy nurse! You don't need aggro like this. You probably have far more interesting things to do

You don’t need to pay if you have Ra and asthma etc if you go to the pharmacist . I prefer the pharmacist no waiting in line or alphabetically as my docs do. I’m at the start of the alphabet and they don’t start vacation until mid October my sister is a w last year got her vacation in December 🙄

Yep I book mine online with boots but nearly all pharmacies do it. They are starting in September all my family booked in

Moomin8 profile image
Moomin8

I rang my nearest Boots chemist and booked one for 17th September. I did try my GP first, but they haven't started booking yet.

Pippy25 profile image
Pippy25

Got my jab booked in for October and because of my poor mobility and the layout of the surgery have said if I draw up in the car with my arm ready and window down they will come out and do it to save me going in. Also they are running different dates for under and over 65's as I believe it's a different jab(strain?), so felt lucky as they had times available for under 65's and was booked in on my ringing. I only found out through a relative so not sure how other surgeries are managing things.

Smiler53 profile image
Smiler53

Yes, booked in for the early September too a couple of weeks back.

orange33 profile image
orange33

Hi, rang my surgery but was told to ring Sept. but I can’t really see surgery or GP contacting me. I am on mtx an Rituximab so I do regard my self at risk but I will just have to wait and see. My mum lives 20 miles from me,who is 94 has been asked to make an appointment at her pharmacy.

Green230461 profile image
Green230461 in reply to orange33

They should make the effort to come out to her. Hope it goes seamlessly.

Patty37 profile image
Patty37

I had a text message From GP yesterday asking me to phone for flu jab appointment.

Not shielding But on methotrexate. Didn’t think it was because I’m high risk, thought same text sent to everyone eligible .

Knit12 profile image
Knit12

I will be interested in how they do this. In Aberdeen we are not allowed in our GP surgeries. Everything has been done by phone or email. They are paranoid due to the increase in cases here. I had my bloods done at home. I spoke to my biologics nurse from rheummy yesterday and she said the GPs are sending everything to them. Not good when they are being told they can only see one patient an hour. I wonder if it will be queue up by car and stick your arm out.

Maz2222 profile image
Maz2222

Yes gp nurse rung me 2 weeks ago to have flu jab 12th september has i am in vunerable group

Aliceeliza profile image
Aliceeliza

Fly jab booked with GP 12 September. They organised it and it is being held in our Civic Hall and not the surgery. We had a 2 page list of instructions so hopefully it will go smoothly!!!

Monkeysmum profile image
Monkeysmum

Nothing from our GPs yet but they always seem to be behind the curve so not very surprising. Last year it was taking them so long to get organised I gave up and had one at Boots (for free) instead, suspect I may be doing the same this year!

Sheila_G profile image
Sheila_G

I haven't heard from GP yet but have booked a jab with Pharmacist in the middle of September. I will wait for my GP appointment and take the earliest one. x

Fergie432 profile image
Fergie432

I’m on Methotrexate. Checked my Health Centre website for flu jab information, no dates or appointments yet for this year, but it advised to keep an eye for information on Facebook and Twitter in the coming weeks. I promptly made an appointment at Boots end of September.

Sops profile image
Sops

Far from it. I contacted my surgery to enquire when i would have my jab to be told’ if you are entitled in October’

I am clinically extreme and still shielding, so am not happy. Sent a reply explaining this and have not received a reply of any sort.

If we have to have the official shielding pause lifted what happens then.?

Sopsx

in reply to Sops

Boots are starting the flu jabs in September. You can get them done their free if your were a shielded just book online or ring them.Most pharmacist do flu jabs

Sops profile image
Sops in reply to

Thank you

Sopsx

Otto11 profile image
Otto11

I had a letter from my GP’s this week regarding flu jab which surprised me but then they are not seeing patients so expect they have time on their hands. Not sure how it’s going to work though.

cropredy profile image
cropredy

Hiya,

No not yet and I was shielding as well, I suppose the programme will start early this year because they want more people to have the jab.

Take care.

Ray

bienassis profile image
bienassis

Yes, I have been texted to make an appointment for the flu vaccine - shall call the GP this afternoon.

bienassis

Mani2010 profile image
Mani2010

My GP has sent an email

Soundofmusic52 profile image
Soundofmusic52

Yes gp rang me having phuemonia jab at same time 😷

mrawnsley profile image
mrawnsley

No neither of us - Frank is 70 and I am 68.

alton profile image
alton

The earliest appointment I was offered is 24 th of October. I shielded because of RAs, meds and asthma....but this doesn't seem to be relevant anymore, it's over the 65 's who have priority

'

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana

Yes I had a text from my surgery asking me to book my flu jab the other day.

Poshcards profile image
Poshcards

shielding people at my GP is Oct 3rd x

AlleyJ profile image
AlleyJ

I got an email and booked in on the 19th, happy to get it done and out of the way

HevJ profile image
HevJ

Yes. A message from surgery last week and as if yesterday booked in for next week!

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