Per Ardua Ad AstraZeneca – Again

After a lot of mind, body and soul searching, I decided to have a covid booster vaccination.

Perhaps not surprisingly (see this blog An Odyssey in the Second Year of the Plague – Per Ardua Ad AstraZeneca - 19 February 2021), this turned into another little odyssey that would last almost four weeks.

For brevity's sake:

17 November: Called NHS to make an appointment. "Why did you call rather than book online?" asked the apparently helpful callroom person. "Because I thought that dealing with a person would ensure everything would be definitely sorted out." I asked which vaccine I would get and was told to ring the pharmacy involved in running the clinic.

19 November: Called the pharmacy. Did they have AstraZeneca (because I wanted that for my booster, as I'd had no ill effects from the previous two)? Yes, they said, they had limited supplies but it should be all right.

23 November: I called again to double-check and was told again it would be all right.

24 November: Clinic visit 1: They had no record of any appointment booked through the NHS. Yes, they had AstraZeneca – but no, they wouldn't let me have it. They said I had to have Moderna. I explained I didn't want it and asked to see the manager. The manager said I would need a letter from my GP to get AZ as a booster. I told him about my two conversations with his colleagues, who had never mentioned anything about a GP letter. He asked for their names – which I didn't have. 

24 November: Called my GP practice. Someone would call me back next day. I couldn't take a call next day. Someone would call me on the following Monday.

29 November: A locum GP called and said she couldn't help at all, mainly because the practice's computer system had gone down. She suggested I call again next day.

30 November: Called the GP practice and got long, long message which ended by saying the system is down so call back tomorrow.

1 December: Same thing. In desperation I tried a bit later and someone actually answered. The system was back up. I pointed out that the answer machine was still saying that it was down and that people should wait another day. They'd change it. I was told a GP would call me back later. I explained that I wouldn't be able to answer a call between 130pm and 330pm, as I would be in a studio where there is no signal. I emerged at 330pm to find I'd had a missed call. I called the practice again and asked why someone would call me at the time when I said I wouldn't be able to answer. They didn't know, but a GP would call me straight away. No one called for a couple of hours. But finally a GP that I think really knows his stuff called and offered to help. Of course I can get AZ, he said and asked why on earth his time was being wasted on this when he was already under immense pressure. Anyway he said he was writing the letter as we spoke and I could come and collect it any time.

2 December: I collected the letter.

7 December: Clinic visit 2: The first day that I was able to get to the clinic. I went there and saw the manager, who said that the letter was fine, but they'd now run out of AZ. He said they should have some more in three days' time. He gave me his direct line number and suggested that I check with him before visiting again.

9 December: I called him and asked if there would be AZ tomorrow. He couldn't confirm and said I should ring back first thing next day.

10 December: I called first thing and the line was continually dead or cutting out after one ring. I gave up phoning and went to the clinic. Clinic visit 3: the queue for vaccinations was right round the block and I didn't have time to wait.

13 December: Clinic visit 4: I went to the clinic before opening time. The queue was even longer but this time I had time to wait. I called the manager from the queue. Did they have AZ? Yes. The volunteer on the door said I couldn't have AZ. The woman at reception said I couldn't have AZ. I asked to see the manager yet again. He checked my letter and said it was ok. I waited for a bit and finally got the AZ booster – which we are all, rightly or wrongly, being encouraged to get as soon as possible. It had only taken me 27 days...