Booster vaccinations

[km100]

Has anyone got any current info on getting a booster locally?

I?m booked in for January (over 30) but would like to get sorted ASAP, and can?t get on to the NHS website to change appointment.

It seems there are walk-ins at King?s and Guy?s - anyone have any info on the queues? I?d have to bring little ones with me so can?t queue for hours.

And I know there are pharmacies closer but I?m unclear whether people can walk in there.

Many thanks in advance for any input.

[Galileo]

I went to kings last Thursday and my husband on Sat. Whilst we both had appointments they also had a walk-in clinic and it was all running smoothly and efficiently. I?m not sure how the walk-in works though, whether it?s open to all over 18?s yet? Also the changes in rules over the weekend may have changed the number of people turning up, so might be different today.

[km100]

Thanks - that?s useful to know.

According to govt website it seems the boosters are available to everyone over 30 from today. Just unsure whether that?s happening in reality yet!

[Siduhe]

I went to the Rosendale Road vaccination centre yesterday am (so pre announcement extending the program) and there was a 90 min queue due to a whole mix of factors - not enough vaccinators, not enough people to check in appointments, NHS computers kept crashing, people not keeping to the separate queues for appointments vs walk ins and a load of people pushing in to the front of the queue on the basis that they were high risk and couldn't queue outside in a big line.

I have no idea if that was a one off "bad day" but it didn't seem like the most organised clinic. May be one to avoid.

[IlonaM]

I went to the Rosendale Rd centre this morning for a booked appointment. Masssive queue for booked appointments (heading all along the shops past The Sicilian deli and round the corner into a side road) and also a queue for those without appointment. As I'm disabled and couldn't stand in a queue I felt rather overwhelmed and gave up when my return taxi arrived. I'm now trying to rebook an appointment.

Update: I had to wait until this morning to rebook, but (in comparison to yesterday) got through to online booking very quickly early this morning for an appointment next Monday. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!! Fingers' crossed the Boris effect will have reduced next week.

[Rockets]

A few friends of ours have said that the walk-in at Guys is very quick as there are so few people going to that one (although this was before the latest wave I hasten to add).

[Buxton Spring]

you can get your first booster vacine now aand your 2nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6th 7th 8th and so on should be avaliable real soon

[kford]

Walk in at the chemist in Nunhead on Sat

[Applespider]

Have a look at the GetJabbed subreddit; there's great real time crowd-sourced info on which walk ins are quiet or not. I rerouted from Guys to St Thomas last week based on that info and was in and out in an hour.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GetJabbed/

[km100]

Thanks very much everyone

[AshaChad]

I went to Kings yesterday for a walk in and was told the queue was 3-4 hours long

[Nigello]

Was told (and then decided not to wait) or did you wait in it?

[Anna1988]

I went to Guy?s yesterday morning and was fast tracked as I had my 2 year old with me and they were prioritising those with children and the elderly. I was in and out in 20 minutes. I think everyone else turning up was waiting 2hrs +

[ed26]

I'll try to remember to take the little one with me when I go then ;-)

On a more serious note, I received the general NHS encouragement to book a booster, but I was hoping to receive a GP text like I did for the first two vaccines - these came from "Improving Health Ltd" on behalf of Gardens Surgery and allowed me to go to Tessa Jowell Health Centre for a pre-booked appointment. Does anyone know if they are doing this service this time around?

[Jenijenjen]

I passed by a long queue outside Tessa Jowell this morning that extended round to Melbourne Grove

[km100]

I got an appointment in the end at Queens Pharmacy SE21. They aren?t taking walk ins and there is an enormous queue even if you have an appointment. Staff were working extremely hard to be as fast as possible. If you have a child with you, you are allowed to skip the queue.

[ed26]

Thanks for the feedback. I just heard that they are doing jabs at the Oval - not sure if Southwark residents are entitled to go there. Massive queue at 9am but in and out within 15 min at 11am.

[Jellybeanz]

Tessa Jowell centre is doing walk ins and very quick according to our neighbours.

I had mine at King's yesterday - queued for 2 hours.

I then managed to book my husband one at St Thomas' (near London Bridge) for next Tuesday, without any difficulty at all and a load of appointment options.

I think lots of centres have increased opening hours so worth keeping trying - you have to wait a few minutes to book online but it is very efficient overall.

NHS very impressive as always!

[CHrisED]

Does anyone know what they are administering at the Tessa Jowell medical centre? Is it pfizer or moderna?

[RichH]

^^^ I was there on 9th. December (pre-booked appointment) and they were administering Pfizer.

[Nialldn]

Hi all, not exactly ED local but I'm volunteering at a clinic in Oval tomorrow that does walk-ins for boosters as long as you are 18+ and its been 3 months since your second jab.

We are super efficient and the queues have been moving really fast since we've dropped the 15 mins waiting time post jab, so please come up tomorrow from 9AM - 6PM. Also doing normal 1st and 2nd doses (with a 6 week gap in between). Default is Pfizer but there is also AstraZenica if you'd prefer that.

Address is Montgomery Hall, 56-58 Kennington Oval, SE11 5SR.

[AylwardS]

Another option, not exactly ED local but I'm volunteering at a clinic in New Cross, Lewisham (down the road at the side of New Cross Station) tomorrow that does walk-ins for second doses and boosters.

Its well organised and the queues when I volunteered there on Friday were moving quickly. The pharmacy next door is also doing walk-ins and if they have availability those queueing for the health centre walk-ins are redirected to the pharmacy so you get your injection at whichever is available first.

Details of walk-in clinics in the area can be found at https://selondonccg.nhs.uk/what-we-do/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/pop-up-clinics/

Waldron Health Centre

Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, London, SE14 6LD

This clinic is for anyone older than 16 years of age (Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine offered). Second doses offered if it is at least eight weeks since the first dose. You do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID or an NHS number. Booster jabs available if eligible.

New Cross Pharmacy, Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, London, SE14 6LD

This clinic is for anyone age 16 and older (Pfizer vaccine) and AZ vaccine for people who are 40 and older. Second doses offered if it is at least eight weeks since the first dose. You do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID, or an NHS number. Booster jab available if eligible.

There are lots of dates and times so do drop in. Monday to Friday the pharmacy is open until 9pm even if walk-ins at the Health Centre have finished. If the queue looks big it?s probably not as bad as it looks. The part of the queue I was managing looked bad but people were from one end to the other in 15 minutes - quicker than the queue at William Rose on Saturday!

[Peckhampam]

Artesian Helth Centre, Grange Road, lots of capacity for walk ins

[AylwardS]

A message has been posted in General ED Issues to say Tessa Jowell has no queue and are offering Pfizer for 12+

[ed26]

I've now had an invitation from the GP service that I mentioned above. Options are Tessa Jowell or Lister. Plenty of availability.