Your report No 10 concerns 4.5 million people who are eligible for Covid jab boosters. 2 November. I am curious if others have had similar experiences. The NHS sent me a letter advising me to speak with my GP about a booster. I was clinically vulnerable and also elderly. My GP was unable to take action due to running out of vaccines and not knowing when a new supply would become available. According to the NHS letter, I was told that my medical condition meant that I could not book a vaccination online or by phone. The same is true for the new walk in centres. I'm not going to ignore the call and sit on my hands. If the government wants to give people like me a third shot, it might be more effective to look at the causes of delay and not try to shift blame.
Valerie Bayliss
Sheffield
I was utterly outraged to read that No. 10 is worried that people are not getting their boosters. Three weeks ago, I received an email and a letter stating that my immune system was possibly compromised. I needed to contact my GP. I did, and was instructed to contact 119. There was no joy, and the website states that I am not eligible. I am a 73 year-old woman with other conditions and would really like my booster. I am now past the six-months-plus-one-week date, and still cant make an appointment. My son told me to just go and find something.
Christine Lomax
Mellor, Greater Manchester
Your article on Covid booster jabs at NHS walk-in clinics, England, 1 November was very interesting to me. I immediately went to the NHS website to locate the nearest one. Foolishly, it seemed that big cities like Bristol would have several. This government's incompetent announcements were something I didn't anticipate. After entering my Bristol postcode, I was given the option of Wedmore (20.6 mi), Stroud (22.9 mils), Cinderford (22.9 mils), Cinderford (22.3 miles), Gloucester (23 miles), and Taunton. According to the NHS website, no one lives more than 10 miles from a vaccine center. I despair.
Jane Ghosh
Bristol
I am curious if people who get their booster jabs realize that they may not be recorded on the NHS App. My husband got his booster on September 23rd, but it has not been recorded on the NHS app in his Covid records section nor on his Covid pass.
To correct what we believed was an error, we followed the official advice and called the Vaccine Data Resolution Service on 119. The person who spoke to us was astonished that the NHS wasn't recording boosters on the app right now and that it didn't need to for Covid passes for foreign travel. This is a questionable claim since certain countries, such as Austria, have begun to require that entry depend on the date of the last jab.
Layla Moran, our MP, contacted the director of public health to inquire about the matter. She was informed that boosters are stored on a GP database but it will take time for them to appear on Covid passes. This is quite unbelievable. It will be extremely difficult to transfer the information retroactively.
Maybe some of the 39 billion that has been spent on the test-and trace system could be used to urgently upgrade the NHS app. This failure will cause significant difficulties for anyone who wants to use their Covid card at home or abroad in a matter of weeks. The NHS app will then cease to exist.
Julie Curtis
Oxford
The government's provision of Covid booster jabs is inconsistent. After my second shot in May Day, I tried to book a booster jab via the NHS website on November 1. I selected booster, entered my date of birth and NHS number, but was told that appointments could not be made through the dedicated site. Instead, I should ring 119. After ringing, I was informed that I wasn't eligible for the service and that I should contact my GP. After waiting for half an hour, the receptionist was very helpful and confirmed my eligibility. She also sent me a text inviting to book a booster. However, there were no appointments at this time. After a lengthy internet search, I found a pop up centre 15 miles from me. I was able book an appointment quickly and receive a booster jab the next day. While I am grateful for the NHS and volunteers involved in the vaccination program, I remain baffled by why it takes the persistence of a Patterdale Terrier just to follow the government's advice.
Austen Lynch
Garstang, Lancashire
A spokesperson for the NHS said that it was vital people came forward as soon as possible. There are appointments available throughout the country. People can either book through the national booking system or visit one of the hundreds walk-in vaccination sites. It is interesting to see how many people have been denied a booster jab, and then told that they will try again next week. (I'm 77 years old and have idiopathic lung fibrosis. It was a matter of persistence, which I am happy to report. I received my booster jab on Tuesday. Many people fail to get the booster shot because they were refused.
Robert Howard
Beeston, Nottinghamshire
