Anyone know how long it takes to get onto the government’s extremely vulnerable list?

BettyMac
BettyMac Member Posts: 217
edited 17. Apr 2020, 15:16 in Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Please excuse me if this has already been asked and answered elsewhere.

I got the Rheumatology Dept letter last week, telling me I should be shielding, and went straight onto the government website to register as extremely vulnerable.

I’m not on that list yet, according to the online supermarkets.

This is beginning to get a bit worrying. My husband, who has up until now been doing a weekly shop, has now also been told to shield so we will be relying on online ordering .

Living in the south-east, everything is already over-subscribed and I cannot find anyone who is able to deliver.

We purposely didn’t try and register earlier because we thought it unfair to take up delivery slots if we didn’t need them. I am now wishing we’d been a bit more selfish.

Hope everyone is managing to cope during this worrying time.

Comments

  • Eir1971
    Eir1971 Member Posts: 20
    If you give Tesco a call they will add you.
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    Thanks, Eir1971. Will they just add us, even if we’re not yet on the gubmint list?

  • Twirl58
    Twirl58 Member Posts: 19
    I applied about 2 weeks ago and heard from Sainsbury and Iceland earlier this week. Still nothing from Tesco and Asda yet. Fingers crossed you don't have to wait long.
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    Thanks, Twirl58, that’s good to know.

  • Eir1971
    Eir1971 Member Posts: 20
    Yes, I'd alrady registered with gov.com, but when I called Tesco I wasnt on their list, they added me no problem, I was then able to access priority slots the following day as takes up to 24 hrs to activate.
  • Eir1971
    Eir1971 Member Posts: 20
    This is the no for Tesco 08009177359.
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    Great, thanks, Eir 1971 👍

  • mcmitty71
    mcmitty71 Member Posts: 11
    It is your GP or medical team at the hospital i think that add you. Im in the high h risk group, but have not been added. I was told by rheumatologist to self isolate for 12 weeks, i get my groceries and medication deluvered any way. Good luck 🤞🤞
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    My understanding is that one gets on the list by registering on the government website and the civil service then cross references you with the info they’ve been given by hospitals and GPs.

    It just seems to be taking time for this checking exercise to happen and for the updated lists to be made available to the supermarkets.

    I suppose we’re all in new territory and having to make it up as we go along.

  • celtic
    celtic Member Posts: 32

    I don't think arthritis is on the high risk, nor is Angina, Asbestos, or diabetes, all of which I suffer with, as I cant find them on the Gov: list

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    I am sure it takes much time for the sorting of those whose conditions or medications puts them in the highly at risk group to be contacted, I read somewhere that a million-plus patients will be sent letters. I have no idea if my conditions appear on any list, as far as I am concerned they don't need to because once the government stated, way back in early March, that if you had a free flu jab you were at high risk, that was me put in my category. I have registered on the government website but purely for their figures and data. I have tried to persuade my husband that re- registering for supermarket on-line delveries is a plan but he won't have it. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Twirl58
    Twirl58 Member Posts: 19
    It is well worth it dream daisy, I managed to get a Sainsburys delivery for the next day once I was confirmed as at risk.
  • ziggyblue
    ziggyblue Member Posts: 13

    I applied to gov list 23 days ago after receiving shielding notification, I never got any contact to clarify needs, but today received a food parcel which confirms I am on the list (“Hi, government calling...” which threw me at first!). However, that hasn’t filtered through to supermarkets yet, so still waiting on that front.

  • Michelleho
    Michelleho Member Posts: 7
    I got an email from Asda yesterday I applied to the govt website pretty much straight away so may have been over 3 weeks ago. They have give me a priority weekly delivery slot until October. However no slots were available until May
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    I haven’t had an email from the supermarket but it seems I do now have access to lots more delivery slots - instead of just getting nowhere when I try to log in.

    So - the answer to my original question is that it takes around three weeks for the government to pass on details of the vulnerable list to the supermarkets.

    We haven’t had any direct contact from the government - which is fine as we don’t need any other assistance and wouldn’t want to use up resources that others might need.

    🙂

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    As good as the scheme may be people like me have been forgotten; I live alone, use a wheelchair and have no transport to get to the supermarket but as I am only 61 (62 this month) and am crippled with OA I do not qualify although I am on the Flu jab list due to other health issues. I just have to keep logging on to different supermarket websites until I can get a delivery slot.

  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    There was an item on bbc news yesterday about the system having failed so many people like you, Mike1.

    Apparently, there are about 2.5million who are particularly vulnerable but, so far, only about a million are on the official list.

    From the sound of it, the system hasn’t been able to cope and they’re relying on GPs to go through their records and add people to the list.


    I’m now doubting that we’re actually on the supermarkets’ list, despite having had letters from GP and hospital departments.

    I hope things get easier for you, Mike

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