High risk/cohort 7 - GP doesn't seem too interested

tDw6u1bj · 17-05-2021 4:14pm #1

Hi,

I'm someone (30's) with a BMI between 35 and 40 and from what I can see I'm high risk and should be able to get the vaccine right now.

But...when I called my GP about it I was told:

*They aren't doing any more first doses
*They weren't vaccinating people in cohort 7
*People with BMI between 35 and 40 weren't going in cohort 7 unless they had another medical issue
*they had no way of putting me forward to get vaccinated

What they said about cohorts seems to disagree with what it clearly says on the HSE website, am I reading this correctly?

Have any of you in a similar position gotten the vaccine?
If you did/have an appointment and it was in a vaccination centre (not GP office) can you tell me what the procedure was?

The GP office is generally a bit useless and past experience tells me that if I want a problem solved I'm going to have to show them the procedure in black and white...

Thanks.

Marcusm · 17-05-2021 4:37pm

It won’t matter what you show them if they aren’t doing any more vaccinating. If you can, find another GP locally which is doing cohort 7. BMI>35 is all that is required, not aN additional co-morbidity.

tDw6u1bj · 17-05-2021 4:41pm

Marcusm wrote: »

It won’t matter what you show them if they aren’t doing any more vaccinating. If you can, find another GP locally which is doing cohort 7. BMI>35 is all that is required, not aN additional co-morbidity.

Hopefully that might be an option, but there seem to be people who have been referred to vaccine centres in cohort 7. Anyone know how this might work?

plodder · 17-05-2021 4:49pm

tDw6u1bj wrote: »

Hopefully that might be an option, but there seem to be people who have been referred to vaccine centres in cohort 7. Anyone know how this might work?

Yes, but the GP has to make the referral. We are getting the same kind of runaround from my daughter's (and my own) GP. Actually, it seems it's the receptionist making these decisions which is totally unacceptable.

https://www.thejournal.ie/cohort-7-vaccine-5436621-May2021/

tDw6u1bj · 17-05-2021 4:52pm

plodder wrote: »

Yes, but the GP has to make the referral.

It sounds like they don't know that they can do this or who to refer me to if they did. She told me "I don't know where to send the letter".

plodder · 17-05-2021 4:57pm

tDw6u1bj wrote: »

It sounds like they don't know that they can do this or who to refer me to if they did. She told me "I don't know where to send the letter".

It's new. I presume it is done online through whatever system the GPs access. So, it's possible a lot of GPs don't know about it yet. Our GP (practice) does though and is just treating my daughter as some kind of chancer trying to skip the queue.

tDw6u1bj · 17-05-2021 5:00pm

plodder wrote: »

It's new. I presume it is done online through whatever system the GPs access. So, it's possible a lot of GPs don't know about it yet. Our GP (practice) does though and is just treating my daughter as some kind of chancer trying to skip the queue.

Any idea where I can find official info on it?
They won't be too interested in a journal article. I would need to spell out where and how.

plodder · 17-05-2021 5:30pm

tDw6u1bj wrote: »

Any idea where I can find official info on it?
They won't be too interested in a journal article. I would need to spell out where and how.

You could phone the HSE helpline and ask them the best way to deal with it. They were quite helpful to my daughter and told her about it.

Though, I think this might be one of the systems affected by the hacking incident.

https://www2.hse.ie/services/contact-the-hse/

LoCall: 1850 24 1850

Phone: 01 240 8787

tDw6u1bj · 17-05-2021 6:01pm

plodder wrote: »

You could phone the HSE helpline and ask them the best way to deal with it. They were quite helpful to my daughter and told her about it.

Though, I think this might be one of the systems affected by the hacking incident.

https://www2.hse.ie/services/contact-the-hse/

LoCall: 1850 24 1850

Phone: 01 240 8787

I was on the phone to them twice before posting this thread.

They were friendly and I think as helpful as they could be but said that they only provide info on the age-based registration system and didn't know anything else ( his exact words were that he didn't have any info that wasn't on the HSE public website)

Where do doctors go to get this info?

Chuzzle7 · 18-05-2021 1:26am

I got a similar response from my own doctor's surgery as well and don't know where I stand. Only because they're still vaccinating the over 70s and then have to move on to the very high risk and that's with deliveries every two weeks. Basically I was told that I won't be prioritized anytime soon.

Don't know how the HSE thinks we're ahead because GP's seem to be behind.

Only a few weeks ago some GPs were saying that they weren't going to vaccinate group 7, it was in the news. So what happens to these patients?

I read of a comment from a poster here a few days ago that said they were able to get vaccinated after ringing the covid vaccine number and telling them that the GP isn't vaccinating group 7.

Lumen · 18-05-2021 4:50am

A new referral pathway should be been in place by last Saturday.

https://www.thejournal.ie/cohort-7-vaccine-5436621-May2021/

tDw6u1bj · 18-05-2021 12:03pm

Lumen wrote: »

A new referral pathway should be been in place by last Saturday.

https://www.thejournal.ie/cohort-7-vaccine-5436621-May2021/

Is this part of the same HSE systems that were hacked at the weekend? Will that have had any effect?

Lumen · 18-05-2021 12:06pm

tDw6u1bj wrote: »

Is this part of the same HSE systems that were hacked at the weekend? Will that have had any effect?

Dunno. The "NAS" pathway for vaccinating over 70s involved an Excel spreadsheet (you can find it using Google), so I wouldn't expect too much sophistication!

tDw6u1bj · 18-05-2021 12:31pm

Lumen wrote: »

Dunno. The "NAS" pathway for vaccinating over 70s involved an Excel spreadsheet (you can find it using Google), so I wouldn't expect too much sophistication!

Well...that's encouraging.

Skippette · 18-05-2021 7:29pm

Just seen on RTE that anyone in the high risk or very high risk category that has not yet received an appointment from the doc or hospital can register tomorrow.

So it looks like it will cover Cohort 7

plodder · 18-05-2021 9:34pm

Skippette wrote: »

Just seen on RTE that anyone in the high risk or very high risk category that has not yet received an appointment from the doc or hospital can register tomorrow.

So it looks like it will cover Cohort 7

I wonder does it still have to be done through your GP?

odyssey06 · 18-05-2021 9:36pm

Skippette wrote: »

Just seen on RTE that anyone in the high risk or very high risk category that has not yet received an appointment from the doc or hospital can register tomorrow.
So it looks like it will cover Cohort 7

They are back tracking now and its basically if you are 45-49 and not done yet by your GP... so cohort 7 irrelevent

Skippette · 18-05-2021 9:50pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

They are back tracking now and its basically if you are 45-49 and not done yet by your GP... so cohort 7 irrelevent

But is it not relevant for those people under 45 that would fall in under cohort 7?

Taken from the HSE website:
This invitation is for everyone in Ireland aged 45 to 49, including those who may be in another vaccine allocation group:

Frontline healthcare workers who haven’t got an appointment through their workplace
People with very high-risk or high-risk health conditions (who haven’t been given an appointment through their hospitals or healthcare team)
People who don’t have a PPSN can also be vaccinated and can register on the phone with HSElive

Skippette · 18-05-2021 9:52pm

plodder wrote: »

I wonder does it still have to be done through your GP?

Maybe but it says if you're waiting for an appointment. Maybe with the cyber attack the GP's are unsure of vaccine allocation? I'm only guessing.

odyssey06 · 18-05-2021 9:56pm

Skippette wrote: »

But is it not relevant for those people under 45 that would fall in under cohort 7?

Taken from the HSE website:
This invitation is for everyone in Ireland aged 45 to 49, including those who may be in another vaccine allocation group:

Frontline healthcare workers who haven’t got an appointment through their workplace
People with very high-risk or high-risk health conditions (who haven’t been given an appointment through their hospitals or healthcare team)
People who don’t have a PPSN can also be vaccinated and can register on the phone with HSElive

No, you need to be 45 to 49... it overrides everything else that follows.

Nigel Fairservice · 18-05-2021 10:02pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

They are back tracking now and its basically if you are 45-49 and not done yet by your GP... so cohort 7 irrelevent

I was wondering. I read the first line of the below article and got bit confused as I was under the impression everyone in Cohort 7 could register from tomorrow onwards. I had hoped to register my sister tomorrow as she has an intellectual disability but looks like I can't for now.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0518/1222296-coronavirus-ireland/

Skippette · 18-05-2021 10:02pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

No, you need to be 45 to 49... it overrides everything else that follows.

Ah right, suppose I'll just have to keep waiting! Thanks

arctictree · 18-05-2021 10:05pm

Skippette wrote: »

People who don’t have a PPSN can also be vaccinated and can register on the phone with HSElive

Who doesn't have a PPSN?

L1011 · 18-05-2021 10:08pm

arctictree wrote: »

Who doesn't have a PPSN?

Some women may never have been issued one and use their husbands with a W suffix attached; which is basically not acceptable for any new uses.

https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/84e306-pps-number-phasing-out-of-w-numbers/

Everyone else old enough to get the vaccine in any cohort should have one.

penelope2012 · 18-05-2021 10:11pm

I know a guy living in the hills who has no PPS number he has never claimed a penny from the state.

arctictree wrote: »

Who doesn't have a PPSN?

0lddog · 18-05-2021 10:16pm

arctictree wrote: »

Who doesn't have a PPSN?

Could be the subject of a fun thread

Can I start by suggesting the Indian ambassador ?

( now this is pure speculation on my part...I have no idea how this all pans out for the diplomatic )

arctictree · 18-05-2021 10:48pm

penelope2012 wrote: »

I know a guy living in the hills who has no PPS number he has never claimed a penny from the state.

But surely he has some sort of income?

Mrs OBumble · 18-05-2021 10:57pm

arctictree wrote: »

Who doesn't have a PPSN?

Illegal immigrants. I know of one anyway, who's not from the cultural background you expect.

EU citizens who came here when old and don't want welfare.

Chuzzle7 · 19-05-2021 12:06am

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I was wondering. I read the first line of the below article and got bit confused as I was under the impression everyone in Cohort 7 could register from tomorrow onwards. I had hoped to register my sister tomorrow as she has an intellectual disability but looks like I can't for now.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0518/1222296-coronavirus-ireland/

Basically going down through the ages regardless if you are high risk or not. They should prioritize people at high risk.

plodder · 19-05-2021 7:45am

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I was wondering. I read the first line of the below article and got bit confused as I was under the impression everyone in Cohort 7 could register from tomorrow onwards. I had hoped to register my sister tomorrow as she has an intellectual disability but looks like I can't for now.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0518/1222296-coronavirus-ireland/

It's badly phrased. It might as well also say "if you have red hair" None of that is relevant. The only criteria that actually matters is age. There is definitely another pathway for high risk people under 49, but it's not through self-registration.

ongarite · 19-05-2021 7:52am

Group 7 people are being vaccinated by GPs in certain areas.
I know of 2 people who got dates for vaccination from their local GP in last few days.
One has high BMI like OP and other has asthma.

odyssey06 · 19-05-2021 8:17am

ongarite wrote: »

Group 7 people are being vaccinated by GPs in certain areas.
I know of 2 people who got dates for vaccination from their local GP in last few days.
One has high BMI like OP and other has asthma.

Yeah if your gp is vaccinating you are still prioritised. A lot of gps arent doing cohort 7. Some not even doing cohort 4.

Nigel Fairservice · 19-05-2021 10:21am

plodder wrote: »

It's badly phrased. It might as well also say "if you have red hair" None of that is relevant. The only criteria that actually matters is age. There is definitely another pathway for high risk people under 49, but it's not through self-registration.

It is badly phrased. My reading of it now is that if for example someone is 48 years old and has a qualifying medical condition and they haven't already been vaccinated by their doctor or hospital they can register from today. All other 48 years old register from tomorrow. I think!

tDw6u1bj · 19-05-2021 2:48pm

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

It is badly phrased. My reading of it now is that if for example someone is 48 years old and has a qualifying medical condition and they haven't already been vaccinated by their doctor or hospital they can register from today. All other 48 years old register from tomorrow. I think!

So am I reading you correctly that the plan isn't to offer vaccination to all high-risk people, it's to give high-risk people the opportunity to register before others in their age-group?

Jimmy74 · 19-05-2021 3:00pm

For what it's worth, 46 years old here in Cohort 7,my GP is not vaccinating this cohort... Tried registering this morning online but never got a text back, I'm assuming as my age wasn't in the group, I have rang the help line this evening to try & register & was told that despite what's out there in the media Cohort 7 are not able to register yet ðŸ™

ShineOn7 · 19-05-2021 5:04pm

Jimmy74 wrote: »

For what it's worth, 46 years old here in Cohort 7,my GP is not vaccinating this cohort... Tried registering this morning online but never got a text back, I'm assuming as my age wasn't in the group, I have rang the help line this evening to try & register & was told that despite what's out there in the media Cohort 7 are not able to register yet ðŸ™

So if someone is 49 and in Cohort 7 they can't register today along with other 49 year olds?

19-05-2021 5:07pm

Jimmy74 wrote: »

For what it's worth, 46 years old here in Cohort 7,my GP is not vaccinating this cohort... Tried registering this morning online but never got a text back, I'm assuming as my age wasn't in the group, I have rang the help line this evening to try & register & was told that despite what's out there in the media Cohort 7 are not able to register yet ðŸ™

You dont get any text back once registered
You sign up,get a security text to log in to your account,alriight but thats it
At 46 you should be able to sign up niw,just ignore the notices saying today is the day for 48 yr olds etc

19-05-2021 5:14pm

ShineOn7 wrote: »

So if someone is 49 and in Cohort 7 they can't register today along with other 49 year olds?

Basically the HSE advice yesterday was misleading
Cohort 7's who are now in the age group to use the portal now have 3 routes to vaccine
1 Their gp gives it
2 Their gp refers them to an mvc
3 sign up on the portal

Under 45s have just the 1st 2 routes

Jimmy74 · 19-05-2021 5:18pm

ShineOn7 wrote: »

So if someone is 49 and in Cohort 7 they can't register today along with other 49 year olds?

Sorry about the confusion, Yes if your in Cohort 7 & 49 years of age you can register today, but if 48 years & in cohort 7 you are unable to register until tomorrow, 47 year olds in cohort 7 can't register until Friday & 46 year olds in Cohort 7 until Saturday.
(obviously things change on a daily basis so this information may still be valid tomorrow morning & then again it may not)

My understanding from what was press released last night was anyone from 46 to 48 in Cohort 7 could register with the 49 year olds today but that ain't true (or at least it wasn't for me today anyway).

Just wished HSE didn't mention anything about cohort 7 last night d just stuck to the age groups.

Jimmy74 · 19-05-2021 5:19pm

Marine Layer wrote: »

You dont get any text back once registered
You sign up,get a security text to log in to your account,alriight but thats it
At 46 you should be able to sign up niw,just ignore the notices saying today is the day for 48 yr olds etc

It's the security text I wasn't getting back so could not proceed any farther

Bubbaclaus · 19-05-2021 5:20pm

penelope2012 wrote: »

I know a guy living in the hills who has no PPS number he has never claimed a penny from the state.

Never paid a penny in income tax to the state either by the looks of it.

ShineOn7 · 19-05-2021 5:29pm

Jimmy74 wrote: »

Sorry about the confusion, Yes if your in Cohort 7 & 49 years of age you can register today, but if 48 years & in cohort 7 you are unable to register until tomorrow, 47 year olds in cohort 7 can't register until Friday & 46 year olds in Cohort 7 until Saturday.
(obviously things change on a daily basis so this information may still be valid tomorrow morning & then again it may not)

My understanding from what was press released last night was anyone from 46 to 48 in Cohort 7 could register with the 49 year olds today but that ain't true (or at least it wasn't for me today anyway).

Just wished HSE didn't mention anything about cohort 7 last night d just stuck to the age groups.

Thanks for the reply

But - with Cohort 7 people - how will the portal "know" you're in Cohort 7 and give you the right vaccine?

As far as I'm aware some Cohort 7 conditions aren't suited to AZ and Pfizer

Does your GP need to refer you to the portal in a different way?

Jimmy74 · 19-05-2021 6:02pm

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply

But - with Cohort 7 people - how will the portal "know" you're in Cohort 7 and give you the right vaccine?

As far as I'm aware some Cohort 7 conditions aren't suited to AZ and Pfizer

Does your GP need to refer you to the portal in a different way?

Sorry ShineOn7, honestly I have no idea of an answer to any of your 3 questions...

All I'm aware of is 46 to 49 year olds will be given pzifer or moderna, if those is not available then you will be offered the others but you can refuse those.

I am open to correction on that but that is my understanding of the current situation.

Sleeper12 · 19-05-2021 6:03pm

tDw6u1bj wrote:

*They aren't doing any more first doses *They weren't vaccinating people in cohort 7 *People with BMI between 35 and 40 weren't going in cohort 7 unless they had another medical issue *they had no way of putting me forward to get vaccinated

Daughters bf is late 20s and same bmi. He has other conditions too. His GP told him to register online and give his age as 70 or over. His GP was able to give him first dose of Pfizer within days & is getting 2nd dose tomorrow. I can't explain why but he was able to get vaccine far quicker as over 70s.

Friend is 55 or 56 with heart condition. He is 22 stone with other conditions. The earliest his GP can get vacation for him is "possibly" 8th June. Had he registered as a guy in his 50s he would have gotten his first dose earlier this week on the age group system rather than the underlying condition.

It's all fecked up in my opinion. What the government is saying publicly isn't necessarily what is happening on the ground. Doctors encouraging patients to lie about age to get vacancies they should be getting anyway or my friend with underlying issues getting vaccine far later than if he just registered online is not the picture that the HSE or government has painted

Fr_Dougal · 19-05-2021 6:10pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Daughters bf is late 20s and same bmi. He has other conditions too. His GP told him to register online and give his age as 70 or over. His GP was able to give him first dose of Pfizer within days & is getting 2nd dose tomorrow. I can't explain why but he was able to get vaccine far quicker as over 70s.

Friend is 55 or 56 with heart condition. He is 22 stone with other conditions. The earliest his GP can get vacation for him is "possibly" 8th June. Had he registered as a guy in his 50s he would have gotten his first dose earlier this week on the age group system rather than the underlying condition.

It's all fecked up in my opinion. What the government is saying publicly isn't necessarily what is happening on the ground. Doctors encouraging patients to lie about age to get vacancies they should be getting anyway or my friend with underlying issues getting vaccine far later than if he just registered online is not the picture that the HSE or government has painted

So anyone can register as an over 70 and get an early vaccine?

Sleeper12 · 19-05-2021 6:24pm

Fr_Dougal wrote:

So anyone can register as an over 70 and get an early vaccine?

Over 70s got their vaccine from their GP. Obviously the GP knows your real age. I doubt many GPS will do this for healthy patients.

Gmol · 19-05-2021 6:34pm

Aged 47 Cohort 7, Doctor rang me last week with appointment and was done yesterday in Doctors surgery

Nigel Fairservice · 19-05-2021 6:50pm

tDw6u1bj wrote: »

So am I reading you correctly that the plan isn't to offer vaccination to all high-risk people, it's to give high-risk people the opportunity to register before others in their age-group?

That would be my reading of it.

iamwhoiam · 20-05-2021 3:37pm

Daughter had vaccine today . Cohort 7 age 35 referred by her consultant to City West .

20-05-2021 3:55pm

I am 60 and got my vaccine a couple of weeks ago on age basis. However I have quite the medical history with cardiac issues and some mo this ago my GP said to me I would need to get the vaccine as soon as possible etc. However most of my experience with feeling with the formidable and most often incompetent gatekeepers of the practice doesn't fill me with confidence, so I didn't even attempt to approach them regarding getting vaccinated under cohort 7. My own GP is only sometimes available and very much of the time an unsatisfactory doctor is the one who has taken on much of my dealings with the practice during the Covid period. She hasn't a clue about my medical issues, eg, I have to remind her I have no colon any time I deal with her when it is of relevance, she's just not interested in knowing patients. So I just took my chances and waited and glad to have my first shot now.

I've heard of others having very proactive GPs who seem to personally go through lists themselves and phone up their patients to refer them, but it isn't the norm.

penelope2012 · 20-05-2021 5:04pm

Not all GP's are vaccinating but if you ever have been with a different GP you could just ring them. I did that and one I use occasionally was. You can ask for a cancellation appointment or fill in the form and put other for illness or disability. I have heard of a lot of people in my area who got vaccinated by GP and would not be in cohort 7, they just rang and got a cancellation.

High risk/cohort 7 - GP doesn't seem too interested

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