Metropol

Interestingly, despite the government saying back in January that there was 'no appetite' for 24 hour vaccination clinics, a few have surfaced this time around.

I managed to get mine slightly early again due to handwavy disregard for the rules. My GP texted to invite me for an appointment, and I was able to get one the next day. Turned up at the centre, where they announced to the queue it was over 40s only (as per the guidelines at the time). 'But I got a text...'. I'm perhaps close enough to 40 that they waved me on through. Jab done, got to work, and then got another text: "if you're not yet 40 or 6 months since your second dose, please don't turn up for your appointment and make a new one for a few weeks' time."

I'm reasonably relaxed about the prospect of catching Omicron (though I've been WFH a lot more and not really been socialising); it's the knock-on effects that are causing a bit of anxiety, like not being able to visit family at new year, or half my team going into isolation again and having nobody left to fill the rota. I think we'll probably get through it though.

I booked for today at the point when the original 5 months limit was still in place, and a few days later was told I could book at the mass vaccination location that was available previously. I decided to keep the booking I had.

Then, a day later, I was also told that the location was taking walk-ins for 5 hours on that day. As it turned out, the place I had it done was also taking walk-ins too.

I had my booster in mid November but I still got emails and texts from the NHS a few weeks later reminding me to book my booster which was a little odd.

I've said this before but it's surprising that the Government are not asking more people who test positive for Covid to sign up to the Panoramic trial as it'll give some of those affected Lagevrio which can taken orally. I imagine there is also pressure to get Paxlovid approved as well.

I got a text on Thursday to ask me to book the booster, clicked on the link pretty much instantly but there were no slots. Then yesterday I got essentially a bollocking text reminding me that I hadn't yet booked it, still no slots! Checked again this morning, slots have suddenly appeared. Had a choice of Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, or knock it into the beginning of next year. Now booked in for early January.

I'm 37, so when 30-39 year olds were allowed to book a booster on Monday, I went online, and after two hours of being told I was in a queue, but not how long that queue was, and after a couple of website crashes, I was able to book my booster - the first available slot in a convenient location was for Tuesday 21st, which I took. So I'll be triple jabbed in time for Christmas. :)

Slot availability must be very regional. I booked mine in at a mental health hospital, and was plainly the only one there in half an hour despite it being in Central London. I even got a consulting room rather than a tressle table.

On the other hand my arm hurts like hell. Maybe for Dose 4 I’ll just get someone to give me a punch instead.

I was “lucky” in that I was tipped off by someone else on the night of Saturday 11 December that bookings appeared to be opened up after they had tried by chance.

I initially got an appointment at my local Boots on 24 December but having checked availability again on Monday I was able to get a slot the next day at a pharmacy a couple of stops away on the tube.

Good lord though, my arm did hurt for a few days and I was wiped out the evening and day after but it was of course worth it.

Pfizer x 2 + Moderna booster FWIW.

I was due to go to Newbury to get mine on Thursday, but I checked again on the off-chance there might be something nearer to me. Luckily, there was, and I get boosted at Basingstoke hospital at lunchtime today.

Pfizer x 2 + Moderna booster

I also have this combination, had my booster on Tuesday evening (got lucky and managed to get one on the nhs site before it got bogged down).

I was absolutely fucked wednesday and thursday, finally feeling better on saturday. glad i got it done and over with before christmas, otherwise it would have been a pretty miserable holiday.

My wife had Pfizer × 2 + Moderna and had to spend the day after the booster in bed. I was club AZ + Pfizer and had a day of tired limbs, and then a day of feeling like I had an ear infection.

2 x AstraZeneca + Pfizer booster

Absolutely do not regret getting the booster, but fuck me, the joint pain it triggered had me on the verge of tears for nearly three days. I ended up spending two nights sitting around with my left arm in a bowl of cold water.