Mum and daughter shielding together but can’t get jabs at same time
THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT GROUPS FOR VACCINE
A WOMAN says she’s struggled to book for her and her mum to receive a Covid vaccine together on the same day – despite them both shielding together.
Helen Andrews, 45, has been caring for her mum Barbara for the past eight years in Arnold.
Ms Andrews, who is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable due to being on immunosuppressive treatment, is eligible to be vaccinated, as is her disabled mum. who is over 70.
Both have received letters inviting them to book their jabs, but Ms Andrews claims she has had real difficulty trying to organise for both of them to go on the same day.
She told the Post: “Because of the way the system works we have to book into specific clinics.
“If I book into the over-70s’ clinic I will be turned away because I’m not over 70 and if I book my mum in to the clinically extremely vulnerable [CEV] clinic she will be turned away because she isn’t CEV – you will only get vaccinated if you are booked into the correct clinic for your category.
“It would mean putting myself and my mum at an unnecessary, increased risk. Without me, there is nobody who would be able to look after my mum. That’s what I worry about the most.”
Despite living at the same address and both receiving a letter, Ms Andrews claims Nottinghamshire CCG have told her over the phone it’s not possible for them to be seen on the same day.
She says she has been told over the phone by a member of staff at the CCG that this has been a “common problem” during the vaccination process.
However, her mother Barbara has since received another letter from the central NHS team inviting her to get the jab at the new mass vaccination centre in Mansfield.
Ms Andrews has now been able to book online to receive her jab at a similar time on the same day, but fears she might still be turned away
– as she did not receive a letter like her mother did.
She added: “There’s a likelihood I’ve not got the right letter. I’ve only got the one from the local commissioning group. It’s just a risk we have got to take.”
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire CCG said: “If appointments cannot be arranged at the same time, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
“However, we would like to reassure the public that all of our sites are Covid secure and the safety of the public is our top priority when attending our vaccination centres.”
It would mean putting myself and my mum at an unnecessary increased risk
Helen Andrews
POLICE officers have revealed shocking details of how partygoers are blatantly defying lockdown rules – and putting officers and their families at risk by potentially transmitting Covid.
Many revellers organising illegal gatherings across Nottinghamshire have cited excuses such as “we are young” and “it’s just the one time” when officers have arrived.
In one example, a city flat was hired specifically for a party, and when officers arrived it was packed with people from all over Nottinghahamshire who were high on drink and drugs.
Front-line officers said they never thought they would be breaking up house parties when they joined the force.
But with up to 11 illegal gatherings being reported on Saturday nights alone – and a desire to protect the NHS and keep the public safe – it is now part of their day-to-day duties.
Sergeant Dave Wardle is part of the tactical support police team which is sent out to break up house parties and impose fines ranging from £200 to £10,000.
Despite being equipped with gloves, masks and body cameras to protect himself and his team, he said that keeping a social distance at these parties was sometimes impossible.
“It is not something I expected to be doing when joining the police, but it is important because the rules are there to keep people safe and stop the spread of Covid.
“But we have all got family and friends. It can be a bit unnerving.
“We are going into houses where we know people have Covid and officers are wary about spreading it to their family and friends.
“Officers have caught Covid but we can’t attribute it to these jobs. On a Saturday night, from about 8pm, we have gone from job to job until 1am.”
He said most of the calls have come from neighbours, and gatherings can be as small as four to five people but ranging all the way up to 20 people at one address.
“We have been to some where there have been speakers and are playing music while others are low key.”
When asked if any house parties stick in his mind as a shocking breach of the rules, he said one party near Sneinton Market a few months ago was particularly disturbing.
“We went to one in a flat and there were probably 20 people in there from different households and they had hired the flat just for that purpose.
“People had come from all over Nottinghamshire and there was drink and drugs as well as Covid breaches.
“I think the number of people in a confined space, aggravated by alcohol and drug use and the planning that had gone into it.
“We wear face masks and gloves and we try and keep two metres’ distance but a situation like that you can’t physically (do that) in that space. That’s unfortunately one of the things that come with the job.”
Chief Constable Craig Guildford has sent out strong messages to those who continue to flout the rules and hold house parties.
He has also been vocal about his officers risking their own health and that of their families by going into these house parties to split them up.
He said: “Very few young people become ill with Covid but lots of elderly people do become ill with it and that can be seen in the hospital admissions.
“All our workforce is not made up of 21-year-old cops.
“We have people over 40 and people who work for us that are over 50.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping also stressed that people organising parties were putting police officers’ lives at risk.
He added: “This crisis has lasted 11 months and it is a strain, and they have got families to go home too.
“They do not want to transmit the virus to their partners and kids.”