Covid jab - chemist too crowded

Sorry I pressed send to quickly!!! People waiting were literally pressed up against each other, several were coughing and sneezing. Surely people should have been spaced out better? I did speak to a member of staff about it but they didn't seem bothered.

That's disgusting! I was called up by text to make an appointment at my doctor's surgery for both 'flu and covid. The waiting room is a large spacious area which had been cleared of chairs. They handed you a mask on arrival, people were processed immediately and walked straight out.

Surely you can go to your surgery or to a processing centre (if they still exist). Why were you at the chemist, were you told to go there?

I booked it via the NHS Covid booking site Chestnut, and it was the nearest place doing the jabs. I won't go there again.

We were told when to go to our Gp's for both jabs.
It was like musical chairs no one on the desk just someone shouting next. Thankfully people had the sense to ask each other their time and get themselves sorted it snaked around the waiting room on the chairs. They took partners in together and you were moving around the seats all the time ,some wag shouted move and made everyone laugh.
The chap in front of DH kept letting others go passed so DH whispered "Are you flate?", our local word for frightened the chap who was well over 6 feet answered "Bloody terrified marra". He did move the next time by then a chap had started talking my head off, he was shaking and asked if he could come in with us, of course, he was told no but a lovely nurse linked him along the corridor.
He had waited for us to come out and thanked us for talking and giving him the courage to go in.
It needs to be organised and spacious for the poor people who are frightened of needles.
I can remember all the rugby team at school going first and fainting,they started to put the girls first.

I had a similar experience at my small local chemist too. As they were short-staffed it was a longer wait than many of us had anticipated. We were divided into two queues - one for covid jabs and the other for flu. Anyone who wanted both could just walk round the back of the cubicle.

There was an attempt at crowd control and although there was much muttering it was largely good natured.

A couple of weeks later I went to a larger branch in my nearest large city for a 'walk-in' flu jab and it appeared to be better organised and we were all seated at a fair distance from each other - but of course they had the space.

Desdemona

I booked it via the NHS Covid booking site Chestnut, and it was the nearest place doing the jabs. I won't go there again.

Don't you get a text from your doctor's surgery? Have you had your 'flu jab?

I get told by text to make an appointment at the surgery, where they have an afternoon of jabbing. There is no-one on the desk, they are waiting for you and just tick you off the list when you arrive. You walk in and are told to stand over there for a minute, then straight in to the nurse, jab + jab and straight out. Very well organised and takes all of 5 minutes.

Next time I would ring the surgery and ask them outright if they do vaccinations there. Maybe you can book there with the nurse? Tell them you had a very unhealthy experience at the pharmacy because it was! And exactly the opposite of my experience.

Maybe wait a week or two till all the panic has died down
It ll last longer through the winter too
It’s just the mad first week or so rush

I recently had a flu jab at a local school, in their huge hall. It was a very efficient production line, in and out again in seconds.
My Covid jab was at the pharmacy and took much longer, finally getting the jab in what appeared to be a cupboard.
We should all complain if venues are crowded or unsuitable when other places, like our school, are available.

I went for both mine at my surgery at the weekend. Think yourselves lucky to be inside - we had to queue outside!

Frankly that was the opposite of my experience last time. I cannot speak too highly of the calm efficient way the jabs were administered. It was a small independent chemist too.
This time our health centre had also got their act together for the afternoon appointments but according to the nurse, had been “going like a fair” in the morning as lots of people turned up far too early.
Let’s face it, places and personnel vary. We should just be glad these jabs are so readily available and not be too impatient if it does not always fun like clockwork.

RUN not “fun” !!!

I had mine done at our independent pharmacy yesterday about 4pm it was quiet and I just walked in. Earlier that day it had been heaving so I decided to return later. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in that huge queue!

I had my flu jab at our surgery - queued outside, packed to the rafters inside! A melee!
A week later a covid jab at a surgery not local to me. Lovely pharmacist. ”Come straight through Mrs GD - have you in and out in no time, and he took my BP too (first time that’s happened).

Pharmacy not surgery!

We had our flu jab last Saturday at our local GP surgery. Quite by chance we walked past and saw it open so asked if we could have it done. Yes, sorted and on our way in less than 5 minutes.
The same surgery is not doing Covid jabs so we have an appointment at the local chemist on the 30th.

I'd booked appointments online for my husband, his brother and myself for covid jabs at a local chemist for yesterday. I picked that pharmacy as I knew it had it's own flat car park. They had a small backlog, but had half a dozen chairs available and it all went smoothly. We'd had our flu jabs at our surgery, all together. I got a text from the surgery yesterday asking if we wanted to book covid jabs.....too late.

Our GP only does the flu jab. I had my covid jab at our local pharmacy and was 2nd in a small queue...but it was at 9.00 when they had just opened. Later in the day the smallish shop would have been packed as it was a walk in service. My husband had his at a different pharmacy a few miles away where you booked a time and it was fairly airy, spacious and quiet. But the vaccination room was very tiny. More like a large cupboard.

It's all so different from the early days of the vaccinations where we were socially distanced, masked and sanitised and everyone sat for 15 minutes after.

Very well organised this year at our local surgery. They do both the flu and Covid jab. I think they learnt their lesson from last time when too many people were booked in so there was a long queue outside on a rainy, miserable night.

Booked timed covid jabs at an independent pharmacy. Arriving a few minutes early - I hate to be late - the couple before us were just leaving. Masks were required. Straight in, out again very quickly with advice to wait 15 minutes before driving and apologies there was no space to wait in the shop. The coffee shop next door was handy! Flu jabs were accomplished at our nearest Boots as we prefer to leave space between them. Again no waiting, all exactly to time, professional and pain free. It does seem the luck of the draw.

Why are there queues - are they running late or are people turning up early? At our GP surgery the queue is outside, and you just join the end of it, whatever your appointment time. I do admit I find it irritating that people turn up 15/20 minutes early, when we’re specifically asked not to.

This year we went to a small pharmacy. Turned up on time, straight in, and ten minutes later as we were leaving the next person was coming in.

Our surgery isn’t doing the Covid jabs, they are at a local small chemist with queues snaking around the corner.

Appointments are being made, but they are allowing walkins to just join the queue, I waited 35 minutes with my mask on. Just one lady doing the jabs, in the corner of the chemist, no screens.
If we have to have any more I won’t bother with an appointment, I’ll choose a time and day when I think it will be quieter and I’ll do a walk-in as well.

PS of course I could have opted to go to another chemist some miles away, but I imagine they too will be swamped with people.

I am having my 'flu and Covid boosters at 19.58 (very precise) in our local health centre, which is ten minutes away. It has opened up every weekend until January solely for this purpose.
It is all socially distanced and a posse of NHS staff are vaccinating.
There is a large airy waiting are with bottled water available if required.
I am immunocompromised and could never contemplate visiting a crowded chemist.

I’d booked to have both jabs a few miles away, to coincide visiting a friend who lives nearby. I thought I was in the wrong place as the building appeared deserted, ominously dark, shuttered and sporting a For Sale sign.
Inside was like the Marie Celeste, but I found a young lady in one room who did the job quickly and efficiently. I didn’t see another living soul there at all.