Vaccine no shows - 20 people miss Covid jab appointments at one GP group in just three days

It comes as East Durham Medical Group urged the public to take ‘vaccine appointments seriously’ after 20 people didn’t show up for their jab over just three days.

The NHS County Durham CCG has also said it has seen an increasing number of people failing to attend appointments which could result in some vaccine doses being wasted.

East Durham Medical Group – which has GP practices in Wingate, Peterlee, Horden, Wheatley Hill, Thornley and Kelloe – asked the public to respect the teams working hard behind the scene after they had 20 no shows in just three days.

The current Government vaccine rollout plan aims to offer all adults the jab by the end of July.

Dr Stewart Findlay, Primary Care Director for the vaccination programme, said: “I think everybody has a social responsibility to be vaccinated and we urge all communities to come forward when it’s offered.

“We are seeing an increasing number of people failing to attend appointments and this could result in some of our valuable vaccine being wasted.

“If we are to protect the vulnerable in our society and stop this virus mutating in to new variants we need to vaccinate at least 80% of our population as soon as possible. So please turn up for your appointment, protect yourself and protect your family by having the vaccine as soon as it is offered to you.”

To date in the UK, 20, 478,619 people have received the first dose of the vaccine and of those 844,098 have received their second jab.

“The Covid-19 vaccine is helping to reduce rates of serious illness and save lives, which is why it’s vital everyone who is invited for a vaccine takes up the opportunity,” added Dr Findlay.

“Already the NHS in the region has vaccinated over 904,000 people, including all people aged over 80, nine out of ten care home residents, plus scores of frontline health and care staff.

“The NHS in our region has done and continues to do an amazing job getting as many people as possible vaccinated, as quickly as possible.”

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