Much ado about boosters at Shakespeare Barn amid vaccine eligibility confusion

Queues formed outside Lynn’s mass vaccination centre today as concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant intensified.

But there was also confusion and anger as some people were turned away from the Shakespeare Barn site as health chiefs battled to keep up with vaccination targets.

The Government has activated its Plan-B and said it wants all adults to have had a booster vaccine by the end of January. It is also reducing the gap between second and booster doses from six months to three.

But officials in charge of the large-scale vaccination sites here say boosters will only be offered after three months to over-40s, by appointment, from Saturday “subject to the national protocol being available”.

And the gap led to frustration amongst some attending the King Street site this morning.

Nick Bloy, 56, of West Winch, claimed he was turned away both yesterday and today.

He said: “I am eligible for the booster and I had three options to go to and this was close and the most convenient. I came for the walk-in but they turned me away.

“I am going to Thailand on Monday as I go away for three months over the winter and so I want to get my booster sorted.

“There were available spaces so I booked and again they turned me away the next day.”

Mr Bloy said he was then directed to the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group website, which said: “Local GP practices and NHS vaccination clinics are awaiting further clinical and operational guidance from NHS England BEFORE we can implement the changes to eligibility for booster vaccinations following recent national announcements.

“Until we have the new clinical guidance in place we can only currently provide booster vaccinations to those who had their second dose six months ago and are aged 40 years or over.”

This afternoon, the CCG announced walk-in booster jabs are being suspended so that people who are now eligible can be seen.

Officials from the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, which is running the large-scale vaccination centres, say they hope to announce plans to increase opening hours in the next few days.

Andreas Djiakouris, site operations lead at Shakespeare Barn, said: “We want to get people through the system and although the government have said it is OK it is until we get the protocol.

“The message is that the vaccination can be given after three months but this is only assuming we have the protocol.

“There is nothing we want more that to get people vaccinated and we don’t want to turn someone away.

“I know people are frustrated but equally some are trying to beat the system for a travel passport.”

Volunteer stewards were having to turn away with some very frustrated members of the public and Mr Djiakouris said: “We want to get everyone done and I have emailed the board and hopefully in the next three or four days we might be able to do it.”

Deborah Cook, 50, of Magdalen, who is eligible within the three-month period, was also turned away and she said: “I couldn’t pre-book up until Tuesday this week but I booked for Wednesday and was turned away.

“I went round to Boots but they can’t do it unless it has been six months.

“I have rebooked but I am not eligible until January 3 within the six month duration.

“They are saying get it done, get it done but they won’t do it.

“They want you to do it and loads of people are coming in but they haven’t had the sign off.”

Mr Djiakouris said: “Please check with your vaccination centre.”

The booster challenge emerged only hours after tighter Covid restrictions were announced by the Government, amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.

People are again being told to work from home if they can from Monday, while Covid passports will be required to enter nightclubs and venues which attract large crowds from next week.

And, from tomorrow, the requirement to wear face masks has been extended from shops to many entertainment venues, including cinemas and theatres

However, there are exemptions for eating, drinking and exercising.

And Joseph Marsh, manager of the Majestic cinema in Lynn says he is hopeful the move will not be too damaging to seat sales.

He said today: “The general thing is to follow the guidelines.

“At this stage it shouldn’t be too impactful with just the wearing of masks as such. Our screen sizes are not over 500 so we don’t yet need Covid passports.

“If we did we would need more staff and if social distancing were to happen again we still have systems in place that we can put back in to place like pre-bookings.

“We have people working in the background so fingers crossed. We’ve been through the worst.”

A West Norfolk Council spokesman added: “Alive West Norfolk, [which operates the Lynn Corn Exchange and other leisure sites in the borough] will continue to follow the national covid-19 guidance to keep all customers and staff as safe as possible.”