Originally the first phase two cohort was stated as being 40-49. Is this likely to be restricted further by the NHS too, to allow some under 50s to be done in April after all, if the supplies and over 50s take-up allows?

Am I right in thinking that I (as a 49-year old) could theoretically be contacted by my GP even though there are no GP-led centres in the immediate area (nearest is about 10km away)?

I am sure it has been mentioned before but this NHS webpage is a quick and easy way to find your NHS number if you are registered with a GP.

There was a recent story on the bbc site about people pretending to be health care workers to get the jab sooner - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56428471

Whilst i am sure no one condones that, the contrast with other countries is stark, people in the UK generally are desperate for the jab.

Having had family vaccinated in several countries for this -- some in North America, some in Europe and some in Asia -- I have to say that the vaccination campaigns have equaled or exceeded my expectations for them in decentralized US and in the sort of more centralized UK but sort of under-performed in even more centralized Sweden -- well formally regional but still way more centralized than the US. [Those who got vaccinated in Sweden claim it's gone well but they and their other relatives have been griping among themselves that my family elsewhere (and myself next month) are getting faster access to vaccinations outside of Sweden than are happening for some of their older/less-healthy relatives in Sweden. Even the Swedish doctors in my family have yet to get vaccinated and they have no visibility into what's coming next.] The differences in whether the campaigns are delivering at least to my expectations and concerns for my relatives are unrelated to privacy rules; the differences seem to be related to the supply scene and to management issues.

What the US, UK, Israel and some Gulf countries have done with administering vaccinations is impressive, but these countries also managed to pull off an supply advantage earlier that EU/Schengen countries seem to not have been able to do yet.

A mine of information as ever, CWS. Thanks. Quick question: can you mix and match the systems? If you have had your first jab via the GP-centred system, do you have to wait until they send you an invite for the second inoculation or can you book it yourself via the centralised system?

Perhaps the German heath authorities could inform the virus that it must also transmit strictly according to an agreed plan? This is so stupid. It needs no deep analysis - just jabs in arms today. I can vaccinate 1,000 sheep in an afternoon so of course I'm a good fit for speedy delivery of injections to humans, it's not rocket science. GPs, who may normally only vaccinate a few people a week, are over qualified, overpaid and not very good at injecting people. But they are very good at calling up people who are hesitating, discussing their concerns and making the case that they need to turn up for their protective vaccine.

Yes, in fact I would advise you to do this, particularly if the national website gives you a decent date (by your own definition). It may only work if you have had AZ though, since the Pfizer dates are fraught with shipping and storage complexities. Then if your GP contacts you beforehand, or you get on some reserve list, you just cancel the national appointment, and that slot becomes open to someone else, who may well be delighted to get that time. If you are within about 48 hours of the centralised date, you best leave it and go for that one, they prepare the final list about 36 hours ahead so at some point the slot would be lost. Perhaps a week or two before the centralised date, call your GP and ask to go on any reserve list. The GPs don't cross-reference the centralised timeline (as far as I know) so having the centralised time doesn't slow down your GP options. GPs get £22 if they administer your jab, so that's a small encouragement to them to do their patients.

If you are on AZ, there is quite a bit of evidence that a 10 week gap is good, so I wouldn't say there is much need to speed it up, just my view. Pfizer is probably best done sooner though.

Much to my surprise I woke up with not so much as a sore arm this morning! Still taking paracetamol just in case though.

I found the booking process via the GP really easy. York are using Accubook, which basically does as CWS described.
I got an SMS with a unique link, once I clicked it I was presented with "Book your vaccine" or "I don't want to book/I've booked elsewhere", after which it asked for my DOB, once I'd done that I was offered anytime between 8am and 8pm two days later. I got a confirmation text straight away, and a reminder the next day.

Given in York both the national and local are being done by Nimbus on the same site I'm torn whether to go book via the NHS site or wait for my second SMS!

I booked my parents jabs for them via the National service and that was easy too, though I think I found Accubook easier!

Because the GPs are linked into this PCN arrangement mentioned above, then yes, 10km isn't unusual, in my case it's 60km! If you are 49 then in many parts of the country you would be called in by your GP, at least unofficially. In Newcastle and the other metro authorities by there, you would have been contacted by now. If you live in some nice leafy middle class area you may have to wait another fortnight, unfortuately. I know they are advising people not to contact their GP, but I think it's ok to try this if you genuinely can get to a GP site within 60 minutes and can therefore take up the spare dose at the end. You should definitely do this if you care for someone frail or have other special factors. We vaccinated a passing Japanese student in his early 30s last night ,who hadn't got himself registered with a GP yet, and who just popped in on the off chance. He took the second last needle and we were so pleased to see him so we could all get home, and it's one more person sorted.

I was reading Robert Boyle's latest and this bit struck me:

https://www.gridpoint.consulting/blo...ak-this-summer

I don't know how much these %s are fed by the revolving door of bad news triggering more fear, but the data is quite telling. I mean, seeing north of 60% of people asking to halt all flights in January & February (when, shall we remember, the problem was the Kent variant, which clearly didn't fly out of Kent) is quite a thing. I guess it might go down a bit as more and more of the elderly are vaccinated but if what I'm seeing around is anything to go by (most elderly people around Chiswick are still 110% ultra-careful, some to the point of sheer paranoia) I doubt it'll change much. And this government, as most populist are, is very much in tune with the 'belly' of the electors.

Excellent re Japanese student, don't resort to looking for passing sheep though.

Thanks - very useful to know. You guessed the "nice leafy middle class area" very well! As someone who lives in more than one country, I am especially keen to get the first jab ASAP so I can have the second one during my current stay in the UK meaning less time away from family or the need for an additional roundtrip with all the complications and additional costs that currently entails.

even here in london, i've had two colleagues this week get a text from the GP for jabs--and both women in their early 40s in SE. so it is definitely happening in some areas.

Everyone I know in other countries (UK, France, Germany) is for stopping all international travel. FT is a bubble absolutely non representative on that front.

Everyone I know in UK, Italy, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands is fully for international travel... but ours, as well as FT is all anecdotal, although it is definitely interesting to see people's opinions about things considering who has and hasn't got their jab, and their ages based upon that

My social circle is broadly in favour of international travel but, crucially, most have no intention of travelling. And, as much as I'm drooling for some travel too, I just cannot be bothered right now. It's not about masks, because I've no problem in wearing them even for 10+ hours, but because of all the rest: finding tests, paying for tests, queueing at arrivals, paperwork...