VULNERABLE 92-YEAR-OLD MAN STUCK IN VACCINE NIGHTMARE
Charles receives dialysis three times a week – but has yet to be given any date for his jab
A92-YEAR-OLD man is “fuming” he has not heard anything about his Covid vaccine – despite city health chiefs vowing that all over80s would already have been invited for an appointment.
Charles Watson receives dialysis three times a week for issues with his kidneys but has had no indication about when he would receive the crucial jag.
His daughter Anne said: “His GP practice said they are just working out what they are going to do right now and we should hear about it next week.
“I think that’s atrocious when I’ve heard so many stories about younger people without health conditions getting their jags.
“He’s 92 for God’s sake and been going to dialysis for years.” We asked NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on Monday when over80s would be vaccinated.
They said: “At this stage, we expect all eligible people who wish to receive the Covid vaccine, aged 80 years and above, to have been invited to attend an appointment, which should take place by the end of January.” The Scottish Government has vowed to get the first dose to all those aged over 80 by February. But Anne thinks the rollout should have been better organised and wants the military to get involved in the vaccination drive. “I’ve called the helpline,” she said. “But you just speak to someone reading off a list, you just get knocked back at every turn. “I would have thought him being on dialysis would have made him a priority, given it makes you extremely vulnerable. It needs to be better organised, I don’t know if it’s the logistics but you saw the queues at the Royal for instance.
“Where’s the organisation in that? Do they not schedule appointments for people all the time?”
She added: “I note that Boris Johnson’s dad has had his jag.”
His Mount Vernon doctors said they have not received any vaccines yet and none of their patients have had the jag so far.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman told parliament yesterday that in Scotland, 191,965 people had received their first dose of the vaccine, with second doses beginning next month.
The Prime Minister described the delivery of Covid vaccines as requiring an “unprecedented effort” and said the Army would help with rolling it out.
More than 5000 armed-forces personnel are currently involved in the Government’s response to the coronavirus crisis, the biggest military operation in Britain in peacetime.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was approached for comment.