Pharmacies facing angry patients over Covid jab confusion

Pharmacists in England say they are facing significant issues with large numbers of patients requesting Covid jabs only to find that they are no longer eligible. This year, the guidelines have been tightened so that only those aged 75 and over are getting free boosters, as well as younger patients with a weakened immune system. According to Community Pharmacy England (CPE), more than 10,000 chemists, including many large supermarket stores, are being refused admission at several locations between a third and a half of people who turn up for their appointment. With reports of angry, dissatisfie patients, and bullying directed at employees, it has referred to the situation as "unacceptable.

It had become apparent within an hour of theNHS website booking system going live last week that there was a problem, according to Alastair Buxton, CPE director of NHS services. Thousands of people appeared to be missing the details about how to become eligible on the booking system, according to him, who assumed that they were still eligible. However, if they turn up for their vaccinations, pharmacies are only able to give them the flu jab.

Clearly, giving patients a lot of explaining takes a long time. For some patients, it causes anxiety, fear, and even rage.

We've certainly had instances of some patients being rude with pharmacy staff members.

Patients have also been notified by Your Voice, Your BBC News, that they have been getting text messages from the NHS and their GP, asking them to come forward for their Covid jab despite not being eligible. The National Pharmacy Association, which represents independent pharmacists, Henry Gregg, says the questions have been discussed with NHS England and the government.

This should have been preventable and it is extremely frustrating for both pharmacies and patients. As pharmacies try to implement the new NHS clinical guidelines, we encourage any patient in this situation to treat pharmacy teams with respect.

Growns and Covid vaccine campaigns largely skipped last year, and pharmacists said more could have been done to inform people of the changes. NHS England said the website had been updated to make it clearer that eligibility criteria had been tightened.

Please double check that you are still eligible for a Covid vaccine before booking,

a spokeswoman said. The NHS website details that whether your age, medical condition, or medication indicates you are eligible, and your GP clinic or pharmacist will inform you that you qualify before giving you the vaccine.

The use of our hardworking pharmacists is completely intolerable,

a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said.

We encourage pharmacists to report any suspicious incidents as appropriate.

Paul Williamson, 71, of Doncaster, is one of those who has only recently learned he is no longer eligible for the Covid booster. He did not know the conditions had changed when he logged on to the booking portal and told Your Voice, Your BBC News.

I'm disappointed. It feels like a cost-cutting exercise.

He said he'd do everything possible to shield himself, and so he would now consider paying for it privately. Many high street pharmacists sell branded vaccines, and they cost about £100 per person.

Changes in eligibility

The changes to eligibility were made on the recommendation of a group of independent experts called the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI). From 2025, it was suggested that the Covid autumn booster's eligibility be modified. Last year, the jab was free to anyone 65 years old and over, as well as those with a long history of chronic or long-term health problems. The age limit has been raised to all those who turn 75 before January 2026, as well as people classified as immunosuppressed. Those who are receiving any cancer treatment and transplant recipients, as well as those who are HIV positive and have certain genetic disorders, are among those affected by the disease. However, it means that people with diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illnese, asthma, and severe mental disorders will no longer qualify. In addition, pregnant women and frontline health and social care workers will not be able to obtain the jab for free this fall. Covid was now a

relatively mild disease for the majority of people,

according to the JCVI, with hospitalization and death rates having "significantly decreased. It said that focusing on the elderly adults and people with compromised immune systems is in order to put them at a higher risk of disease. Alex Emery and Elena Bailey's additional reporting. Get all the headlines you need to start the day with our flagship newsletter. Sign up here.