Hi everyone hope you’re all keeping as safe and well as you can be. Just wanted to post on here as I see a few questions being raised about a third dose as opposed to a booster in the UK. Depending on where you are there are different links so I’ve attached both -
(Apologies if you’re in Wales or Northern Ireland, I can’t see anything for these countries).
I phoned my Rheumatology Line today to ask if I was due to get a third dose seeing as I’m on 22.5mg MTX a week and the nurse knows nothing about it. Said he’d try and find out. Told him it was on the NHS Inform website but didn’t seem that interested. Separately my Dad who was previously shielding due to neutropenia had an appointment with his Haematology consultant today and asked the same question for himself, consultant said there was no such thing as a third dose. Seeing as I’ve been banging on about it for days my Dad knows all about it so challenged his reply. He eventually back tracked and said he supposed he’d better look into it as no doubt he’ll be getting more questions about it. My Dad actually got a letter in about a booster.
What a carry on. Why does no one seem to know what’s happening. If consultants are the ones deciding who gets a third dose (in Scotland) and consultants know nothing about it how on earth is this going to be rolled out properly.
Sorry for the mini rant but just wanted to flag this to everyone if you’re not already aware as it looks like the onus is on us to chase this up.
Take care everyone. XX
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Froggie70
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Big discussion over on PMRGCAuk too - the patients seem considerably better informed than the doctors! Though one lady got a letter from her rheumy saying she needs the third shot and then a booster 6 months later which she brandished at her GP who finally caved in!
Hi there you’re not being dim at all, it’s all so confusing. My understanding is that the JCVI are calling this a third dose as they are recommending it be given as part of primary treatment to prevent COVID in people who are unlikely to have had a strong immune response to doses one and two. A booster on the other hand is given to everyone in certain categories regardless of their immune response. A booster vaccine is to make sure that protection does not decrease over time whereas a third dose exists for people who are unlikely to have responded as well to the first two doses of the vaccine. The third dose also puts you on the list for a further booster in six months time whereas being on the booster list means there is no further call back. I’m no expert on this I’ve just been looking at all the different charity websites to get their advice. Hope this helps.
Hmm, it is confusing as I was called as a extremely clinically venerable person for my third dose, but then my husband got a call a week later inviting him to the same clinic and he’s just in the booster group. I wondered if there was a difference in the strength between them? My GP surgery who was unable to give Pfizer for the first two, told me they could do the booster so what’s different? Something must be.
I’ve just had my third primary covid jab, the doctor told me at the vaccination centre that they are giving the same jab as the first two I had, she said I will be called in six months for the booster which could be a different one then. This is in Scotland anyway.
My GPS text says COVID vaccine and the invite from the government said booster vaccine! I think it’s just a muddle on words and they are one and the same. What happens next hasn’t been agreed yet so should not be mentioned.
Hi there what’s next has been agreed or at least planned for and to be signed off on. If you check the link for England that I’ve attached the JCVI refer to a follow up booster after a third dose.
I can see that but I still think that when they talk about boosters they are really talking about another dose. That link doesn’t mention specifics about what a booster jab actually is for instance. Is it the same as a 4th dose or is it going to be varied like flu “boosters”? That’s what I mean when I say we don’t know yet. “Dose”and “boosters” are the same thing I believe.
I’m confused by the whole thing, it’s just that I’m take 22.5mg of MTX so meet the criteria for a third dose so just want to make sure I get the right thing. My GP, consultant and Rheumatology line have never heard of it. Why is nothing ever straightforward? Take care.
This is very confusing. I was called for my booster 2 weeks ago and was told I would be called back in 6 months for another booster. I was never advised to shield and worked throughout each of the lockdowns.
I had exactly the same experience, as I’ve written in an earlier post. Nurse told me there was no such thing. As I persisted she spoke to a GP who agreed with me then I was told it was nothing to do with them but to phone the mass vaccination unit who said GPS and rheumatologists were very slow sending them the lists, and so far I wasn’t on a list they had received. I don’t even know if I should be on a list! All the info I have read said Prednisolone reduces your immune response. So does this mean I need this third jab or am I being a bit of a drama Queen here? If I don’t need it then fine. But if I do then we surely have the right to have it. It annoys me that I have spent, literally hours, trying to find out if I need it when I already feel exhausted by day to day life. If I try to phone the rheumatologist there is only provision to leave a message. What is happening to the NHS? Covid seems to be their get out of jail free for every illness or mistake made.
Morning. I’m the same, if I don’t need it then great but if I’m supposed to be getting it then what’s going on. The rheumatology nurse said he would phone back if he found an answer so I’ll update if he phones back.
“If he found an answer”? You see! He should be phoning you back with an answer either way. Even if that answer is that nobody knows but THEY will investigate further and get back to him. I wonder if Lupus U.K. can put some sort of pressure on the U.K. government to clarify all this? If this continues I am going to contact the Assembly Member for health for our government in Wales to make a complaint about lack of clarity and education of the medical profession. It’s shameful and negligent.
Of course it’s up to us, like most things related to our illnesses. I do feel people with AI diseases have been lately abandoned by the medical world. I dream if the day I meet a medic who knows what it is, understands how it works and knows what to do. I’m fed up being told it’s in my mind, you can do it if you try but just in case let’s try you on a course of……… and see what happens 😳
My GP surgery asked me first if i wanted a 3rd dose and when I said yes I was sent to my local hospital to be given it along side with staff members. I was given a permission slip to hand to the nurse giving me the jab and I noticed it had on 1st dose, 2nd dose, 3rd dose, & booster on the slip. On my slip 3rd dose was circled whilst the nurse next to me had booster circled. So when I was called in for my jab I asked what the difference was and the nurse said both are exactly the same injections but by circling 3rd dose on mine it means I will be getting a 4th dose in 6 months if the vaccination committee signs it off and then another every 6 months until covid is almost gone or changes into a cold like scientist think will happen. All this information was in the letter my GP sent me along with the number I had to ring to book my Jab. If you have not heard about your 3rd dose I would ring your GP as that's what I did then followed the call up with an email. Good Luck
Hi Lynne. Now that sounds organised. I think that GPs are not involved north of the border but if the Rheumatology nurse draws a blank I’ll give them a phone. Many thanks and take care.
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Survey of people with rheumatic conditions about fourth vaccination dose - survey closes 7th April 
