Covid Volunteers

[Interestedobserver]

Just had my first jab

Cannot believe how many volunteers are there to help

So proud of being British today

When this is all over they should all get some kind of medal or recognition

 

[MikeJ]

I've no idea how many were volunteers and how many were being paid. The people that watched over us for the 15 minutes at the end (only if you were driving) were St John's Ambulance people, so presumably volunteers.

 

[Interestedobserver]

Every single person that dealt with me from arrival to parking to exit was a volunteer

I know because I asked each one

The lady who injected me worked for the NHS but was there as a volunteer

Very impressive

 

[Mr D]

Government has suggested a medal of some sort / commemorative coin or similar for those involved in helping during the pandemic.
So expect 25 million to be issued. Pretty worthless.

 

[Interestedobserver]

Just had my first jab

Cannot believe how many volunteers are there to help

So proud of being British today

When this is all over they should all get some kind of medal or recognition

Interestingly on arrival everybody was asked to place their existing mask in their pockets and given a fresh clean mask to where inside the hall

Makes you think in future any events that require masks maybe should be issuing clean ones rather than allowing people to use ones that may already be infected etc

 

[Mr D]

Interestingly on arrival everybody was asked to place their existing mask in their pockets and given a fresh clean mask to where inside the hall

Makes you think in future any events that require masks maybe should be issuing clean ones rather than allowing people to use ones that may already be infected etc

I prefer wearing my washable mask with filter that I replace regularly and that fits rather than a disposable mask that doesn't protect me so well.
At the leisure center that were doing the jabs when I had mine, they were offering masks on the door to those without masks - some of whom did take the offer up.
And some of course exempt by way of whatever reason.

Unfortunately the date for 2nd jab they gave us is the worst day of the week - so will be rebooking for a better day.

 

[UKSBD]

This started off as a good thread about volunteers, can we try and keep it about that instead of taking it off topic
(numerous posts, have or are about to be deleted)

 

[Mr D]

OK.
Fair play to the volunteers who have to put up with the miserable lot coming in for vaccination. With confusing information ....

My wife got told to wait 10 minutes after the jab before driving. I had the car keys and didn't get told anything about waiting.
However to get to the car was over 10 minutes walk anyway!

 

[Interestedobserver]

They told me to wait 15 mins before driving and any problems at all they had a doctor on standby to take a look

 

[UKSBD]

Most, if not all volunteers are well meaning, but you might have 99% of them doing everything correctly, but as demonstrated here, you hear about the 1% who might have not been 100% correct.

One volunteer may not have mentioned waiting 10 minutes and they are the one who gets talked about.

 

[DontAsk]

I was told to wait 15 mins in the venue. My wife was told she could leave straight away if she waited in the car instead. Same venue, different staff.

 

[Interestedobserver]

I was told to wait 15 mins in the venue. My wife was told she could leave straight away if she waited in the car instead. Same venue, different staff.

Same message. Which is don't drive for 15 mins?

 

[Clodbuster]

I had to wait in the car 15 mins but I could take my wife home as she was not driving.

 

[Interestedobserver]

The way I understood it was it's not that you aren't safe to drive by the way

They just want you to stay close by for 15 mins in case you get any effect from the jab as they have doctors there to help you immediately

Maybe I understood it wrong

 

[Ozzy]

The way I understood it was it's not that you aren't safe to drive by the way

They just want you to stay close by for 15 mins in case you get any effect from the jab as they have doctors there to help you immediately

Maybe I understood it wrong

That is correct. I have my vaccine today and that is what I've been told, they just want you to hang around in case of a reaction.

 

[Scottishgifts4u]

I went for my injection and was turned away (I’d had a tetanus injection that week) and has to reschedule for 2 weeks later at another centre.

I don’t know if it was the timing but both places were practically deserted with dozens of cubicles empty and the volunteers who do the injection sitting round chatting.

 

[Ozzy]

I don’t know if it was the timing but both places were practically deserted with dozens of cubicles empty and the volunteers who do the injection sitting round chatting.

I had the complete opposite!
Due to a technical glitch, hundreds of people all received appoints at 2:40pm and I was one of them. The police and loads of volunteers were on site organising parking in a nearby sports field as hundreds and hundreds of cars all arrived at the same time in the housing estate with narrow roads and on street parking .
To be fair to all the police and volunteers on site they recovered the situation really well and worked through everyone really quickly.

 

[japancool]

I wasn't required to wait around at all.

I had the Oxford/Astra-Zeneca vaccine and was told the allergic reaction was a concern only with the Pfizer one. Felt a bit rotten for the rest of the day though.

 

[Aniela]

I wasn't required to wait around at all.

I had the Oxford/Astra-Zeneca vaccine and was told the allergic reaction was a concern only with the Pfizer one. Felt a bit rotten for the rest of the day though.

There is never a requirement to wait 10-15 minutes following any sort of vaccine, it's purely a suggestion.

That's why you hear of some people being advised to wait and others not. It's not a set requirement, just a nicety.

The chances of anything serious happening are extremely slim. It's somewhat a pointless suggestion overall, unless you're the very rare case where something happens. You have about as much chance as winning the lottery though.

 

[Jeff FV]

When I had my jab I was told I had to wait 15 minutes before I could drive home - if someone had driven me I was free to go straight away. My wife had her jab the following day, she was also told to wait 15 mins before driving away from the centre. She was told that her insurance would be invalid if she drove for 15 mins after the jab.

As for side effects, two weeks on I still have two:

a big grin, and a sense of hope.

 

[Ozzy]

I too was told to wait for 15 minutes. I carry an Epipen and that was the red flag for them, they asked me to wait seated to one side for quarter hour after my jab whilst they kept the queue moving just in case I had any reaction.

I’ve heard this from others too, wait 15 minutes to make sure no reactions.

 

[Aniela]

...she was also told to wait 15 mins before driving away from the centre. She was told that her insurance would be invalid if she drove for 15 mins after the jab.

That is false information.

If this was true, it would mean the government are facilitating illegal driving by allowing drive-through coronavirus vaccines when single occupant cars to go through etc.

That being said, if you did start feeling unwell, didn't take action (pulling over) and crashed, you likely wouldn't be covered by insurance.

That applies regardless.

 

[Ozzy]

That is false information.

If this was true, it would mean the government are facilitating illegal driving by allowing drive-through coronavirus testing when single occupant cars to go through etc.

We’re talking about vaccines not testing. Yes drive through testing is fine, you wouldn’t have any risk of adverse reactions to testing but the vaccine is putting something foreign into your body. That does carry risks, and people with allergies or other high risks to reactions are being asked to wait 15 minutes.

 

[Aniela]

We’re talking about vaccines not testing. Yes drive through testing is fine, you wouldn’t have any risk of adverse reactions to testing but the vaccine is putting something foreign into your body. That does carry risks, and people with allergies or other high risks to reactions are being asked to wait 15 minutes.

My bad, I did mean vaccines. (post edited)

 

[John Hemming]

My wife and I were also asked to wait which IMO is a reasonable thing to do.

 

[Mr D]

I went for my injection and was turned away (I’d had a tetanus injection that week) and has to reschedule for 2 weeks later at another centre.

I don’t know if it was the timing but both places were practically deserted with dozens of cubicles empty and the volunteers who do the injection sitting round chatting.

Whenever have been past the place I went to over the past few weeks its been busy.
Though likely more problematic now as having done most of the non workers they are down to the level of people having to take time off from work to get jabbed. Or not be able to take time off work - the vaccination place they get assigned isn't necessarily going to be near their workplace.
Or even in the same county.

Have been hearing of police, fire crew, community volunteers in non covid roles who are getting calls to get jabbed quickly.
One way to avoid wasting the jabs.
My dad got called to have his 2nd jab a week early, had to be there an hour later.

 

[Mr D]

I wasn't required to wait around at all.

I had the Oxford/Astra-Zeneca vaccine and was told the allergic reaction was a concern only with the Pfizer one. Felt a bit rotten for the rest of the day though.

I have an allergy, wasn't told to wait at all. However my allergy would not manifest based on the vaccine.
Was ill for a week afterwards, starting the day after the jab.

 

[DontAsk]

the vaccination place they get assigned isn't necessarily going to be near their workplace.

I chose mine, it wasn't assigned.

There seem to be (at least) two tracks to getting the vaccine Use the NHS on-line booking tool, which I did when I received the letter and my wife did as soon as they announced her age range (without waiting for an official invite) and choose a centre, or wait until a local GP contacts you to go to their assigned centre.