General Chat

Our jabs are given apparently in the village community centre which is where for past years the flu jab was always given, large hall with kitchen and I assume a suitable fridge. They have been operating since before Christmas although I have not had mine yet being only just 80. And it is on a hourly )I think) bus route.

Well done them, Franny.

Lovely to hear of people thinking on their feet. :-)

A neighbour was saying that she had been for her jab. Her sis lives about 30 mins drive away in a completely different NHS area and works for the NHS. Apparently they had had a batch of vaccine, jabbed all the folk who were on the list, then went knocking on doors to use the rest of the vaccine before it spoiled. The neighbour's sis tipped her off and she drove over for it.

Ours, in the kitchen, goes to -20, Sylvia, and we've had it for several years - so, as they're rolling out the AZ vaccine at the moment it would be suitable. (In case any eco-aware person is reading, I hasten to add that we don't have it set at such a low temperature.)

The much newer one in the laundry room also goes down that low so there must be plenty of this type around so with a bit of good fortune, some of these types may be already installed in leisure centres, community centres and such.

In any case, our local news programme has just announced that GP's surgeries are going to give the AZ jab from today so I guess the majority of fridge-freezers sold here do go down to a temperature suitable for that particular vaccine. No doubt the Pfizer vaccine will continue to be given out at our university medical centre which is where two of my pals went.

Is the limitation due to the fact that one vaccine needs to be kept at -70 to -80C, and the other at -20C.

Most common refrigerator/freezer units or freezers do not go down even to -20C.

I live on the edge of a city - but it's still 2 bus journeys totalling 45 minutes, then there's the wait for the second bus.

It is quite a hike for the jab.

I've been speaking to my pal this evening and her daughter (and no doubt her fellow medics and colleagues), who works in critical care at our local hospital has suggested leisure and sports centres being opened for vaccinations. Big halls and refrigerstors (so space and a suitable store for at least one type of vaccine - and two soon, I expect).

Even our local church hall and our community centre have fridges - so around the country there are numerous possibilities.

Perhaps the delay is due to staff numbers?

That’s rough. When they first announced the centres I couldn’t believe it. About an hour away and no public transport.
We are incredibly lucky that out own surgery is doing it - but mine will be well down the line.

Where we live it has been decided that we have to go to the next town, 12 ish miles away for our Covid jabs, all very well if you can drive but 3 to 4 hours round trip by buses and taxis plus the expense and fitting in any medication that may have to taken during that time.