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RReaders expressed disappointment and disbelief at the government’s decision to ban free covid A small group of people were hit with boosters and the move was described as “a national scandal”.
Many shared stories of being denied vaccine Despite having chronic or respiratory diseases, saying the policy risks leaving out vulnerable people like Ella Halpern-Matthews – Who has been infected with Covid thrice since losing eligibility – Without adequate security.
Many said they were forced to pay privately for vaccination, effectively creating a two-tier health system.
One reader commented that it felt as if NHS Would rather pay hospital bill than cheap vaccine”, while others highlighted the inconsistency of vaccination care Home Residents but not employees, and the false economy of cuts in the rollout.
Some questioned why countries such as France and Germany continued to offer free or low-cost boosters to wide groups, while Britain “quietly” withdrew access.
Overall, readers urged the Government to urgently review eligibility – calling for clear communication, fair access and stronger protections for those still at risk.
Here’s what you had to say:
Not classified in risk group
It is appalling that people with lung-related health problems are not classified into a “risk group”, no matter their age or circumstances.
Unfortunately, this once again shows how inefficient screening and health coordination is in the UK.
The norms need to be revised
My wife and I are 69 years old. We both got Covid in 2021. She was ill for five days; I was ill for three months. Since then I generally have trouble breathing, get a cold every now and then, cough all winter long, and have to stay away from my grandchildren for fear of what they might be carrying.
After a chest X-ray I was told my lungs were fine, but clearly I had a problem, despite people assuming it was “man flu.”
We are no longer eligible for the free Covid vaccine, but luckily we can afford to get vaccinated privately. My wife didn’t get even one. Obviously, the norms need to be revised.
thousands of people went back
I’ve talked to a pharmacist about this, and she also said it’s strange how short the list of people eligible for COVID vaccination has become this year.
Regarding immunosuppression: If you have asthma and you take a steroid inhaler, you are not eligible – but if you have asthma and you take steroid tablets, you are eligible.
Thousands of people are coming to pharmacies who have booked their appointments online and are then being turned away.
It’s not the pharmacies’ fault. If they check an NHS patient who doesn’t fit the correct category, they don’t get paid.
If the powers that be want to see fewer people admitted to hospital and avoid worsening the NHS’s winter crisis, they need to expand their eligibility list again.
Our solution was to pay
I have a weak immune system and have been vaccinated. My wife is 72 years old, and since she does not have a weak immune system, she cannot get vaccinated. This is a concern because if he gets COVID, there’s a good chance I will too, because the vaccine is not 100 percent effective. Our solution was to pay for him to have the vaccine privately at a high street chemist – although this is almost £100 more expensive.
The 2025 strain is very dangerous
My wife and I are both in the 65-74 group; We got vaccines last year but not this year. This year both of us got Covid again.
It’s not life threatening, and I think we’ve got some acquired immunity by now, but the 2025 strain is much worse and debilitating, and I’m not sure there aren’t any lasting “long Covid” effects where we could be in danger.
We inquired about private jabs, but they are around £150.
stop ridiculous prescriptions
Yet the NHS will find money for small, self-limited conditions which are available in almost every shop and garage. In one year alone, £80 million worth of prescriptions were written for paracetamol, which can be bought for just 19p in a supermarket! That £80 million could easily finance Covid booster jabs for at least two or three other high-risk groups – people like this woman, who are at more severe risk of serious illness from coronavirus affecting their already damaged immune systems.
Wes Streeting, if you’re reading this, there’s a clear logic and clear cost savings here. Stop the ridiculous paracetamol funding – we can all buy a packet or three out of our own pockets – and spend the money on the more pressing high-risk groups. Do it now!
A protective bubble around care homes
It is outrageous that free Covid vaccines have been removed from healthcare workers, like those working in care homes. Vaccinating care home residents is not enough – you also need to establish a protective bubble around them, which means vaccinating all staff with whom residents may come into contact.
real scandal
Here in Northern Ireland, only people over the age of 75 are eligible. I am 73 and my wife is 71, and we are planning to pay for the vaccination. We got our annual flu vaccine and she had a slight reaction, as she usually does, otherwise we would have gotten our Covid vaccine sooner.
To me, the real scandal is that NHS workers here can’t get a Covid vaccine now unless they pay for it.
It’s as if the NHS would like to pay the hospital bills
I am a person who has chronic lung problems and had severe whooping cough as a child. Add to this bronchiectasis, COPD, etc., and the NHS doesn’t pay any stuff!
I’ve had Covid twice in the last year, and the only chance I have is having a BMI over 40 It is possible Get my Covid vaccine tomorrow. I expect that Opportunity Arguing with the chemist.
It’s as if the NHS would rather pay for my inpatient bill than for a cheap vaccine!
Why can’t the UK offer the jab?
Poland is offering Covid vaccination for free to everyone who wants it (although you don’t get a choice – this year it’s Moderna) and I think you can pay for others at the pharmacy if you want. Since occupancy is usually low, you are pretty much guaranteed to get an appointment if you make an appointment online. They also do flu jabs at the same time (these cost around €5). Why the UK can’t afford Covid is beyond me, especially when there is no mitigation happening anywhere – no air purifiers, no mask wearing.
a national scandal
Why is there so little noise about the quiet withdrawal of the Covid vaccine for most people who used to be eligible?
This is absolutely amazing. This autumn, the NHS is only offering the free jab to people aged 75 and over, care home residents and the immunosuppressed. Everyone else, including many people over 60 with obvious risk factors, has been quietly sidelined.
Meanwhile, across Europe, countries such as France, Germany and Ireland are still offering boosters to people 60+ and a wide range of health-risk groups. Even some of the smaller or poorer states in the EU have widespread access. Britain is an outsider again.
I was charged about £100 for a single dose of the vaccine, whereas in France you can go to a pharmacy and get the vaccine for about €10 or even free if you’re in a priority group.
Its lack of coverage is notable. Has even the BBC covered it properly? You would think that rolling back vaccine access nationally would be headline news. Yet soon, no doubt, we will be told that the NHS is again under winter pressure. In my view this is truly a national scandal – yet there is nothing but public indifference.
Paying for health care will become normal
Certainly worth paying £90 for the vaccine – not ideal, but certainly worth the investment for your health.
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to pay for health care in the UK, but as the NHS evolves (worse) it will become something that most people will have to accept.
let them show their work
The change in eligibility rules was done quietly rather than justified with some statistics to show that people now excluded were not at very high risk. As things stand, you are now excluded as a 74-year-old with COPD, even though you would have been covered last year. If the government is satisfied that this is a logical decision then let them show their work.
I feel guilty
I am 61 years old, suffering from dozens of health problems and have a weak immune system. I was lucky to get the Covid vaccine, but I feel guilty when others are refused the vaccine. Surely this could have been better thought out?
Some comments in this article have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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