please empty your brain below
Your tale reflects all the others I’ve heard. Polite staff and, at least at the vaccine centre, and efficient process.

ROBERT Butlin | 13.03.21 - 7:12 a.m. | #

I too received my first jab last week. I also was given a large choice of venues, but not the two nearest centres that I knew of (maybe they are GP consortium ones). I chose the Loughton venue on your list. It had only just started its operations when I visited last Monday. It was staffed by the military - I was jabbed by the RAF and my wife by the RAMC. Nobody asked for my NHS number. The local MP was also jabbed there on the day of my visit.

Nigel | 13.03.21 - 7:16 a.m. | #

Question from the slow-to-get-vaccinating EU: why do the Pfizer folk have to hang about after?

Kevin | 13.03.21 - 7:28 a.m. | #

I had the Oxford jab at Excel a few weeks ago and was additionally (unexpectedly) asked to produce photo ID. Interestingly I was asked to wait for 15 minutes as I was driving - not because of the type of vaccine. A great bunch of people there doing a cracking job.

dg writes: post updated, thanks.

JP | 13.03.21 - 7:41 a.m. | #

My local centre asked for my name at two points, and for date of birth at the second, which was at the point of jab. Very unbureacratic ... however, on the down side, no card with jab details, and leaflets well hidden.

Liz | 13.03.21 - 7:52 a.m. | #

I had my Jab back in January and was initially given a form by the receptionist which I clung onto for over five minutes whilst waiting to be called, it was only then that I glanced down at the details printed on it and realised that I was clutching some other persons form who happened to have the same christian name as myself.

fishislandskin | 13.03.21 - 7:59 a.m. | #

There's a typo in the NHS number link. Thanks for posting it, though. I didn't know it might be needed and I have no idea what mine is.

dg writes: I initially found mine on a prescription. (fixed, thanks)

Sally | 13.03.21 - 8:08 a.m. | #

The Pfizer Zeneca vaccine has given an allergic reaction in some people that is what the 15 minute wait is for.

John | 13.03.21 - 8:08 a.m. | #

My invitation was by letter and the only odd part of the booking process was that when I entered my postcode for the available vaccination sites, the one nearest to me wasn't on the list. However, the confirmation gave me my NHS No and booking ref, which I also wrote on a post-it note.
I chose the site I did because it has a car park next to it. Charges wouldn't have applied to me in any event as I was going there by motorbike, but it was fair play to find - for those that drive - that charges have been suspended if the visit is purely for the Covid centre.

Inside the centre I had a similar experience: quick, simple and painless. On seeing my crash helmet I was (like JP, above) advised to wait 15 mins before using the vehicle.

RogerW | 13.03.21 - 8:30 a.m. | #

It's been interesting for me to see the process from both sides. As a fellow Tower Hamlets resident, I had my jab at the tiny, very efficient Lincoln Pharmacy (booked, like you, on the NHS site last month when my 65-70 age group became eligible). But I've also been a volunteer marshal half a dozen times so far, at QMUL & Newby Place, and have really enjoyed being part of something so positive. I've enjoyed the opportunity to leave home for something other than a walk/ride/supermarket visit - and helping people fill in the forms, get them into the next available vaccination pod, and wiping down lots of chairs, has all felt very worthwhile.

Jonathan | 13.03.21 - 8:33 a.m. | #

I had a letter asking to book mine which I did at the QE in Woolwich, booked for 830 got there early small queue but was allowed to be seen early, mine was Astra Zenica, didnt get a sticker just a card

Had a reaction the following day with achy arm from shoulder to elbow along with headache and hot and cold shivers, was fine the following day

Rachel | 13.03.21 - 8:43 a.m. | #

I still haven't been contacted despite being 64, but I've booked myself in for a jab at Westfield tomorrow, after a tip-off from a friend about the NHS site. Top tip about taking my NHS number with me, I'm off to find it now...

Gap | 13.03.21 - 8:51 a.m. | #

DG and IanVisits both in the same week (but not in the same place)

MilesT | 13.03.21 - 8:55 a.m. | #

Interesting to hear you had a choice of venue. The invitation text I received from the GP Hub told me it would be at Epsom racecourse, about 9 miles from home, and no mention of taking my NHS number with me. I wasn't asked for it.
Still, it was nice to get out of the local area even if only for a short time.

David H | 13.03.21 - 8:56 a.m. | #

The GP and NHS centres indeed operate totally independently. I had mine at the local GP run one - needed doctors name and my date of birth when booking, on arrival only needed to give my name. Told to sit in car 15 minutes afterwards (AZ), not inside the building, but nobody was checking up on you to see whether you did so.

I did consider whether I should make a special trip to London to have it at the Excel but decided that might be taking 'essential travel' a little too far..

davews | 13.03.21 - 8:59 a.m. | #

The NHS invited me first too, and didn't offer my GP's location. I booked the appointment and then got a text from my GP a couple of days later offering a jab three days earlier. I decided not to chop and change due to lots going on.

Thanks for the warning about having the NHS number handy - it's not on my instructions either.

NickW | 13.03.21 - 9:30 a.m. | #

I’m going for my jab today. SO excited!

Going to St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road. I chose that location for various reasons. It’s 4 miles from home, so I can walk there in about an hour and quarter. It’s big, so I hope it’s reasonably well ventilated.

My neighbours experience with a pharmacy appointment recently was over 2 hours in a queue, so I chose somewhere I thought would be well staffed and efficient.

Neesi | 13.03.21 - 9:31 a.m. | #

I've got mine booked for next week at the Science Museum. Not heard from my GP yet, but the NHS texted me after I'd already booked to mention I can now book if I haven't already.

I'm planning on riding my bicycle. I wonder if they will make me wait the 15 minutes?

Greg | 13.03.21 - 9:32 a.m. | #

I've got mine in less than 2.5 hours time! Thanks for the heads up about the NHS number!

I got the letter and booked a slot then a couple of days later received the GP text so changed my booking for a more convenient location!

Cornish Cockney | 13.03.21 - 9:36 a.m. | #

As a matter of interest if you have the NHS app on your phone your jab is recorded in the GP health section under Medicines and the under acute, bit like a vaccine passport.

MikeC | 13.03.21 - 9:38 a.m. | #

Just noticed I don't have a booking ref. I did for the first appointment booked through the postal invite, but not for the GP invited one!

Cornish Cockney | 13.03.21 - 9:41 a.m. | #

Had jab #1 nearly 2 months ago via the GP practice route. A slightly older friend had had no invitation at the time but then received the GP one and the NHS one almost simultaneously. The latter was absurd: about 10 offers some involving a 100 mile round trip, not ideal for a 75 year old.

Our vaccination work has been brilliant but someone needs to sort out the inconsistency and occasional upset by this double running. I don't recall anyone (Hancock?) explaining the logic of the system. Presumably everyone will receive a GP led appointment but who is being targetted by the NHS system?

J. | 13.03.21 - 9:45 a.m. | #

Thanks for this look inside the vaccination process. I'm having mine tomorrow, having received a text of invitation from my GP practice earlier this week. I didn't know about the separation between the national effort and local GP schemes, so was initially concerned, but it's definitely been a learning experience for me finding out about Britain's vaccination programme.

TheLupineOne | 13.03.21 - 9:52 a.m. | #

Yes there is overlap between the GP system and the national one. But I think that's a good thing. Some confusion, but if anyone does miss out for some reason on one system, there's a chance they could be caught by the other one.

Malcolm of Kent | 13.03.21 - 9:57 a.m. | #

The various bits of the NHS don't talk to each other (and quite often anyone else) and hopefully that will be one of the 'lessons learned'.

I had my jab a few weeks ago. I was impressed by the way the venue was organised and the speed at which it was done, even if I do tend to become Tony Hancock when doing that sort of thing.

I had the AZ version too and did experience the fluey side effects a few hours later, but nothing too nasty.

Ned | 13.03.21 - 10:05 a.m. | #

There does seem to be so many different processes for first and second jab

Cornish Monkey | 13.03.21 - 10:15 a.m. | #

I had an invite to go to St Albans Hospital two weeks after I’d had mine at my GP. Just felt fluey the next day.

Dave B | 13.03.21 - 10:16 a.m. | #

The GP's, at the moment, only get a week or so's notice that they are receiving a vaccine consignment & then have to invite people for vaccination - hence the short notice. Presumably the bigger national centres (& pharmicies etc.) operating via the 'book it yourself' system have a guaranteed supply of vaccine so you can book your first & second jabs. GP's are formed into small groups working together out of one site & as far as I know you just get invited to that site. (my wife is a practice nurse in a doctor's surgery. Indications are that you are more likely to get side effects from the first dose of Astra (but not the 2nd) & off the 2nd dose of Pfizer.

Andy S | 13.03.21 - 10:20 a.m. | #

AFAIK if you go the GP route, as I did, you don't get to book the 2nd jab, you have to wait for another txt.
NHS route you book both jabs.
I guess Andy's post explains it.

Joho | Homepage | 13.03.21 - 10:37 a.m. | #

I've been invited to be jabbed tomorrow, which is excellent and says something about the age range in DG's demographic.

You've now worried me (probably unecessarily) about not knowing my NHS number. The page you linked to offers to send me my NHS number by post, which doesn't really help.

Eric | 13.03.21 - 11:01 a.m. | #

It's a very comprehensive programme, if your GP practice doesn't call you - some are slow or even not doing it - you can go through the NHS website. Hospitals are even chasing people - my mother was offered one by Guy's Hospital, as she had been there a couple of years ago.

Mikey C | 13.03.21 - 11:07 a.m. | #

MikeC, the same applies if you are registered online with "Patient Access", under my Medical Record it has my vaccine type (and date) listed under my Medications

Mikey C | 13.03.21 - 11:18 a.m. | #

Very interesting. Oddly, although with leg in plaster and clearly not likely to be driving, I was still given a time and required to sit down for 15 mins. During which time various under-utilised volunteers scuttled past me without social distancing, at times, pausing to grumble about their lack of things to do.

cau1khead | 13.03.21 - 11:28 a.m. | #

It’s been interesting to note subsequent comments which explain why my nearest centre (GP) wasn't on the NHS list. Also, I'd assumed everyone booked both appointments at the same time, but as it now seems this is not the case with the GP system, I'm all the more pleased to have taken the NHS route.
For the record, the site I chose was Bromley Civic Centre which, as well as vaccinations, is also a testing centre.

RogerW | 13.03.21 - 11:43 a.m. | #

When you book up, take a note of the appointment reference number. I was asked for that rather than NHS number. They also scanned the barcode on my invitation letter.

My only criticism was the post-office style zig-zag queue which didn't make social distancing easy. The same applies to the self-checkouts at several supermarkets where there is insufficient room.

kev | 13.03.21 - 12:12 p.m. | #

I was asked to wait 15 mins as I was on my e-scooter, or to walk it for at least a few minutes. I had no side effects & the jab (AZ) was painless. Everyone was lovely especially the nurse who happily let me stand up for the jab - I’ve a tumour that makes sitting difficult. Social distancing was a problem in the corridor of the small building.

Interesting to see people’s experiences. About a week post jab, I was put on the extremely vulnerable list due to chemo in the past year. They don’t seem to distinguish between the lower dose in chemoradiotherapy & the more toxic treatment, but that sort of data probably isn’t available yet.

Toni | 13.03.21 - 12:38 p.m. | #

I had decided to be patient, after all, travel is mostly off-limits for a while yet so no rush to be vaccinated. I received a phone call from my doctors' surgery at 4pm on one day, to offer an appointment at 5pm the next day at a surgery a 10-minute drive away. The process worked well and the staff were exemplary.

Stuart R | 13.03.21 - 12:56 p.m. | #

At the centre where I volunteer it is not just drivers asked to take a seat for 15 minutes. Some with medical conditions such as asthma, or just extremely anxious about the whole process, are invited to take a seat.

Scrumpy | 13.03.21 - 1:04 p.m. | #

I got the GP text on Thursday with two venues, each a 45 minute walk away - looking forward to that tomorrow. I'm the second-last of a group of 10 friends to be invited - at leas half of us are regular non-NHS workers under 55. Impressed with how they are powering through this project.

Sashina | 13.03.21 - 2:11 p.m. | #

I had a letter from my GP inviting me to phone for an appointment, but whenever I phoned I hung on for upwards of half an hour with no reply. I got fed up after 50 minutes or so. I'd also had a text from Guy's & St Thomas's (where I had some surgery last year) so after three days of not getting through locally, I went online with GSTT and got an appointment quickly - at Guy's, which is more convenient for me. They then cancelled this, blaming shortage of vaccine, and rescheduled for a few days later at St Thomas's - not a big problem; so I went there. Everyone most pleasant and helpful. Military assisting as noted above. NHS number not asked for.

Sore arm for 3 days but that's no big deal, is it? All things considered, it was much less hassle than I expected. (I'm 64). Happy to have had dose #1 of AstraZeneca - and good luck to DG and the rest of you!

Suse | 13.03.21 - 2:30 p.m. | #

... and they booked my 2nd appointment at the same time as they booked the first. And when I eventually got to speak to my GP practice, they said they would be officially notified when I actually received the jab. So that's good.

Suse | 13.03.21 - 2:32 p.m. | #

They were only requiring a 3 minute wait where I went- regardless of the method of arrival - and called me forward to tell me I'd be contacted via text with the date and place for my 2nd jab after less than 2 minutes!

They weren't busy - no queueing needed anywhere. The longest part of the whole process was filling in the form!
No sticker. *sigh*

Cornish Cockney | 13.03.21 - 2:59 p.m. | #

StuartR - But for the avoidance of doubt, leaving the house to get a vaccine is an acknowledged reasonable excuse under the regs for leaving the home.

Hattie Do | 13.03.21 - 3:01 p.m. | #

Just back from mine, which I booked prompted by a text message from my GP. No booking ref sent and no NHS no. requested on arrival. Given a card with NHS no. and jab type/date on. Must now cancel the one I booked direct first which was (a) later and (b) harder to get to.

Cycled there but only told to wait before leaving if I'd driven (I was wearing an obvious bike jacket which the temperature checker noticed and commented that she'd have to take that into account). Presumably they're more worried about the jabbee injuring others than themselves. I took a few minutes getting ready to leave anyway and was ready to get off the bike the moment I felt at all queezy just in case.

Andrew S | 13.03.21 - 3:08 p.m. | #

In Tower Hamlets there’s a booking helpline for residents for vaccination at one of three local centres. Number is on page 7 of Our EastEnd. I understand a lot of appointments have been held back for locals. So you can’t book into these centres via the National system.

Martin | Homepage | 13.03.21 - 3:43 p.m. | #

If you book via the NHS site you have to book the second jab at the same time. With GP surgeries they seem to all do different things - I have the second appointment, 12 weeks to the minute, written on my card. Other centres don't do this and contact you later to arrange the date.

davews | 13.03.21 - 4:03 p.m. | #

So nice to hear.

Here in the US, I'm probably a few weeks away from getting one. I'm a work at home guy and where I live they haven't opened it up to everyone yet.

Miles Archer | 13.03.21 - 4:44 p.m. | #

Had 3 different jab offers. First text from gp. Got jab at local scout hut 2 says later. No need to take id. No queue. Jabbed within 3 minutes of walking on site.

Several days later a local hospital texted & offered me the jab and then after a couple more days the NHS wrote offering one.

ap | 13.03.21 - 5:17 p.m. | #

I had my vaccination in Edinburgh. By written invitation. No venue choice, the letter tells you the venue. I didn't need my NHS number either

Agent X | 13.03.21 - 8:12 p.m. | #

This may be the most verbose DG comment thread in years. For good reason - your report had clearly helped many others.

Be great to see how many jabs were delivered today. May be a new record.

dg writes: 512,208. Not a record (but top 5).

Lux | 13.03.21 - 9:40 p.m. | #

Place I volunteer moved from 900 daily to 1500 last Thursday, and intends to reach 3500 at end of the month.

scrumpy | 13.03.21 - 10:37 p.m. | #

Welcome to the jabbee club DG.
I got a text message invite with a personalised booking link from my GP, and was able to book within Tower Hamlets at QMU near Mile End. Didn't get asked for my NHS number. I was called a month ago, sooner than my age range, not sure why, but I was delighted to grab an early slot. All very impressive for a system set up at such short notice. Mine was Pfizer, slightly tired the next day, otherwise fine. I wasn't offered second date, told by the nurse who gave me the jab that my GP surgery will text me again when they're ready to do the second dose.

IslandDweller | 13.03.21 - 10:41 p.m. | #

Happy to had a good experience DG. We've local vaccine centres here in Metroland doing 700-800 jabs per day. My better half helps indoors with questions and filling out details in system. Most people are super nice and happy to get the jabs. Many 80+ people hadn't been out in months and were very grateful that they could resume some normal life soon. One asked if they were getting the Fizerine one or the British one. :)

Once we've done with vaccinating 50+, we should just say "Everybody else just sign up" and forget age groups. Risk factors for 16-50 range is similar and super low.

PK | 14.03.21 - 7:29 a.m. | #

Got my jab first week in February. Wasn't expecting it until the end of the month. Got a phone call from the surgery "Do you want your jab today?" Choice of two sites. The site I chose had two slots available. 2 and a half hours later I was walking away fully jabbed!

My choice was the Nelson Health Centre in Merton.
A volunteer with a clipboard was asking general questions "any covid symptoms?, been abroad?" etc. to weed out non-suitable candidates.
Passed to the registration desk manned by two staff. As I was a last-minute addition, I wasn't on their printed list, so details were taken. Was asked for my NHS no., but it didn't matter that I didn't have it.
Given a post-it note with a number on and redirected to a holding area of about 10 people.

Called from there by name to the next holding area, and from there to the final waiting area. From there to the Dr giving the jab (I think there were about five jabbing stations in operation).

After the jab, off to 15min waiting area (everyone was sent there) then departed at 13:10. I was much impressed by the efficiency and how well it went. Plenty of smiling volunteers everywhere.

I had the Pfizer jab and, apart from a sore jab site for a couple of days (like with the flu jab) I can't recall any side effects.

rogmi | 14.03.21 - 12:29 p.m. | #











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