Sussex Pharmacies Hit By Chaos As New Covid Jab Rules Cause Confusion

Pharmacists across Sussex say the first day of this winter’s Covid vaccination rollout has been plagued by problems, with many patients booking appointments despite no longer being eligible for the jab.

Only those aged 75 and over, or younger people with weakened immune systems, are now eligible for a free Covid booster.

However, changes to the national booking system led to hundreds of ineligible patients turning up at Sussex clinics.

Dervis Gurol, who runs Healthy-U Pharmacy in Saltdean, said his first day running Covid and flu clinics on 1 October was “disastrous”.

“We had over 380 appointments on the first day, and around 60% didn’t meet the new criteria,” he said.

“Some patients were abusive when told they couldn’t get the vaccine — but we have to follow NHS rules.”

The issue appears to stem from the NHS booking platform, which offered Covid jabs to people who were already booking flu vaccines.

David Parker, from Yapton Pharmacy near Arundel, said the problem was widespread:

“The invitations didn’t make eligibility clear. People saw the option to book, ticked the box, and assumed they qualified.”

An NHS England spokesperson said vaccine eligibility for autumn and winter 2025 follows guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which recommends the jab only for those aged 75 or over, people with weakened immune systems, or residents in older adult care homes.

The NHS is urging people to check their eligibility on the NHS website before booking an appointment.