Will the Vaccine rollout be the next scandal?

[cashmax]

Matt Hancock said he hoped for 1M vaccinated before Xmas, yet there is so far only enough for 400k and from the numbers I have seen there are circa 100k actual vaccines given.

With months to prepare for this, how come we didn’t use up every single dose we had within a few days? The Government seems to be very quiet about the vaccine rollout and all the talk continues to be around shielding/lockdowns etc to save the NHS. Surely we have the solution now and should be putting everything we’ve got into expediting the rollout.

I have also read that future allocations might be adjusted in a use it or lose it scenario and we might end up waiting longer if we still haven’t used the does we have?

[Brainpox]

I don't doubt there will be some monumental fk up exposed over the coming months.

However, the Pfizer vaccine comes with logistical issues and they aren't insignificant.

As I understand it the original plan is/was to get the vaccines into care homes first.

The problem is the Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at -70C and can only be transported four times. Two of those movements are used up getting it into the country. The big batches cannot be split into smaller batches. So then how do you get them into the care homes?

As a result the priority changed relatively last minute, primarily to at risk groups that were attending hospital.

I've also seen there have been some production line issues as well.

Going forward the Oxford vaccine, which doesn't need to cross a border to get here, and only needs to be kept in a fridge, is likely to be the one that gets rolled out to the masses in short time, and will probably be the one we stick with if covid becomes an annual problem. It's a case of waiting for it to be ready.

Also at this point we don't know if any of the vaccines are 'the answer'. It might stop you catching covid but we don't yet know how long that immunity lasts, or whether it also stops you passing the virus onto other people. Without knowing either of these facts the vaccine won't achieve the herd immunity they are ultimately pushing for. Isolation and distancing are the best ways to stop a virus spreading so that message will keep being played out for the time being.

[Bathroom_Security]

I'm interested to see if the human populous is capable of not being so critical of what happens in the coming months due to mistakes made.

Or will people just sit and bh about it like they could have done it better without flaws

[crofty1984]

Bathroom_Security said:

I'm interested to see if the human populous is capable of not being so critical of what happens in the coming months due to mistakes made.

Or will people just sit and bh about it like they could have done it better without flaws

I think you will get the answer to your question.

But I don't think you will like it.

[cashmax]

Bathroom_Security said:

I'm interested to see if the human populous is capable of not being so critical of what happens in the coming months due to mistakes made.

Or will people just sit and bh about it like they could have done it better without flaws

I actually agree with your position here. I'm starting to hate hearing every second of the day how bad the government are doing and get very annoyed when they are lambasted for making u-turns - something they should be doing in my view, because this is new to everyone. I don't think any country will be able to say they did everything right. But the reason for my post was because they really need to get this part right - they can plan for it, we have the infrastructure and resources so I'm really hoping they can deliver.

[Jamescrs]

My wife is a Nurse and she has/is involved in the roll out, literally at the sharp end giving out vaccinations.

It's clear to me there are significant failings in the organising of this higher up the chain, for example they have been doing it this week Monday to Thursday, no vaccinations given out today (Friday) due to storage issues which is maybe acceptable but what gets me is that now in the hub she is working at which numerous GP practices link into they are basically stopping now until after new year because or Christmas, now I personally can't see that's acceptable in the current climate given how serious the government say the pandemic is, why are hubs not going to at least Xmas eve?

The second issue I have heard of is that the vials the vaccine comes in have enough for 7.5 vaccinations per vial yet they are told to do 5 vaccinations with each vile and bin the rest which even with a margin for error should allow at least one extra vaccine per vial. if not two, perfectly good vaccines are literally being thrown away, this is national practice and as each vaccine is barcoded and referenced against a person there is no allowance for using the extra vaccines legally as the two extra vaccines would not be covered should someone have a bad reaction.

I am genuinely amazed at how badly things are being run and yet the people within the NHS seem to think this is all ok.

[Brainpox]

cashmax said:

Bathroom_Security said:

I'm interested to see if the human populous is capable of not being so critical of what happens in the coming months due to mistakes made.

Or will people just sit and bh about it like they could have done it better without flaws

I actually agree with your position here. I'm starting to hate hearing every second of the day how bad the government are doing and get very annoyed when they are lambasted for making u-turns - something they should be doing in my view, because this is new to everyone. I don't think any country will be able to say they did everything right. But the reason for my post was because they really need to get this part right - they can plan for it, we have the infrastructure and resources so I'm really hoping they can deliver.

U-turns are one thing. It's how they have given out contracts over the last few months that is unforgivable. They have this opportunity to redeem themselves somewhat, but the cynic in me believes there will be someone in the chain, who basically shouldn't be there, that gets paid a decent amount to make real st decisions. I guess we'll see in a few months.

[Bill]

Jamescrs said:

My wife is a Nurse and she has/is involved in the roll out, literally at the sharp end giving out vaccinations.

It's clear to me there are significant failings in the organising of this higher up the chain, for example they have been doing it this week Monday to Thursday, no vaccinations given out today (Friday) due to storage issues which is maybe acceptable but what gets me is that now in the hub she is working at which numerous GP practices link into they are basically stopping now until after new year because or Christmas, now I personally can't see that's acceptable in the current climate given how serious the government say the pandemic is, why are hubs not going to at least Xmas eve?

The second issue I have heard of is that the vials the vaccine comes in have enough for 7.5 vaccinations per vial yet they are told to do 5 vaccinations with each vile and bin the rest which even with a margin for error should allow at least one extra vaccine per vial. if not two, perfectly good vaccines are literally being thrown away, this is national practice and as each vaccine is barcoded and referenced against a person there is no allowance for using the extra vaccines legally as the two extra vaccines would not be covered should someone have a bad reaction.

I am genuinely amazed at how badly things are being run and yet the people within the NHS seem to think this is all ok.

Each box has to be used within 3.5 days, and AIUI they're issuing one box at a time to hubs as there isn't enough to go around.

[Riley Blue]

What a depressing place PH has become. We're in the first week of a mass vaccination programme and already people are musing on whether it will be a disaster.

Cheer up a-a-a-a-nd always look on the bright side of life....

[rfisher]

What - no mention of microchips?

Standards are slipping.

I have total faith in BJ's ability to organise a piss up in a brewery.

The blonde baffoon.

[nlm13]

I was speaking to my sister the other day about the vaccines. She told me at the hospital she works at they had 800 doses going to waste last week due to issues with getting people in for appointments etc. Again this is totally unacceptable given the amount of time and money spent on this. Yet another example of the very poor handling of the whole situation as far as I am concerned.

[Riley Blue]

nlm13 said:

I was speaking to my sister the other day about the vaccines. She told me at the hospital she works at they had 800 doses going to waste last week due to issues with getting people in for appointments etc. Again this is totally unacceptable given the amount of time and money spent on this. Yet another example of the very poor handling of the whole situation as far as I am concerned.

At my local hospital if patients don't or are unable to turn up the vaccines are being given to NHS staff, none are wasted.

Can you let me know which hospital your sister works at?

[steveo3002]

so theres 800 staff available with nothing to do every day to take those left over jabs ?

[Bill]

Riley Blue said:

At my local hospital if patients don't or are unable to turn up the vaccines are being given to NHS staff, none are wasted.

Can you let me know which hospital your sister works at?

We haven't started yet but there's already a staff short notice list here.

[Bill]

steveo3002 said:

so theres 800 staff available with nothing to do every day to take those left over jabs ?

fking hell, we can't win!

No, there are staff who are prepared to rearrange their work or come in on their days off.

[cashmax]

Jamescrs said:

My wife is a Nurse and she has/is involved in the roll out, literally at the sharp end giving out vaccinations.

It's clear to me there are significant failings in the organising of this higher up the chain, for example they have been doing it this week Monday to Thursday, no vaccinations given out today (Friday) due to storage issues which is maybe acceptable but what gets me is that now in the hub she is working at which numerous GP practices link into they are basically stopping now until after new year because or Christmas, now I personally can't see that's acceptable in the current climate given how serious the government say the pandemic is, why are hubs not going to at least Xmas eve?

The second issue I have heard of is that the vials the vaccine comes in have enough for 7.5 vaccinations per vial yet they are told to do 5 vaccinations with each vile and bin the rest which even with a margin for error should allow at least one extra vaccine per vial. if not two, perfectly good vaccines are literally being thrown away, this is national practice and as each vaccine is barcoded and referenced against a person there is no allowance for using the extra vaccines legally as the two extra vaccines would not be covered should someone have a bad reaction.

I am genuinely amazed at how badly things are being run and yet the people within the NHS seem to think this is all ok.

Thats pretty shocking. I guess it explains why the Government are being very shy about talking about things. How many hubs are there and do you know if they are all stopping or is it just the one your wife works at?

[Bill]

cashmax said:

Thats pretty shocking. I guess it explains why the Government are being very shy about talking about things. How many hubs are there and do you know if they are all stopping or is it just the one your wife works at?

The one local to us is expecting to be running on the 28th which is a bank holiday. It's just down to logistics due to the storage and availability.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Riley Blue said:

What a depressing place PH has become. We're in the first week of a mass vaccination programme and already people are musing on whether it will be a disaster.

No we aren't. This govt are in charge, so we know it'll be a disaster. We're musing on whether it'll be a scandal.

[Caddyshack]

rfisher said:

What - no mention of microchips?

Standards are slipping.

I have total faith in BJ's ability to organise a piss up in a brewery.

The blonde baffoon.

The same people that think the govt. are a shambles and could not organise that piss up are the same people that think the govt. could organise a secret chip to track us that can pass through a small needle and some how power itself or transmit or revive a signal whilst not being rejected by the human body....not sure why they want a chip to track us when the and mobile do a pretty good job of that or what they plan do do with said info.

[Zarco]

Bill said:

steveo3002 said:

so theres 800 staff available with nothing to do every day to take those left over jabs ?

fking hell, we can't win!

No, there are staff who are prepared to rearrange their work or come in on their days off.

800 still sounds like a big number to use up.