Covid vaccine confusions

[Raven_claw]

I know there has been other posts about boosters and 3rd vaccines but I am still confused about when I am due a booster. I am under 50 and had my 2nd dose in April. I am currently taking hydroxy so not classed as immunosuppressed. I asked my gp for some guidance and they just said they weren’t involved in any booster vaccines but under my circumstances they hoped my invite would come through soon. Should I be following this up or am I not eligible yet so should wait until nhs contact me?

[Prunes]

Your booster is six months after your 2nd jab. You can book online or go to a walk in centre where you don't need an appointment. You can find out your nearest walk in centre online.

[steve61]

Hi, you are overdue your booster jab, just type in Google ' how do I book my booster jab' and click on the NHS website and you can book through there if you allowed, it will ask your DOB and NHS number, good luck

[Raven_claw in reply to steve61]

Thank you I have tried this and it says I am not eligible. I call drs and they refer me to 119. I call 119 and they say I can’t book without an invite to book 🤷

[steve61]

Oh sorry for that, I've found this hopefully it helps....Try searching for a local walk in Station on the NHS site just as long as you got your card as proof of jab dates....

Screenshot text

[Raven_claw in reply to steve61]

Thank you

[Chris21]

Hi Raven_Claw, I don’t think you’re the only one confused. It’s appears to be very hit n miss throughout the vaccine programme and depends on where you go for your jab. I’m in the over 50 bracket and it was 6 months ( now reduced to 5 ) and also found it frustrating nhs walk in site said 182 days, nhs website said 189 days and walk in pharmacy/bus said 180 days.personally I found the bus better organised, had my jab at 180 days and 11 days later I got a text from nhs saying I was now eligible! My second vaccine was end of April, so you should be eligible by now, if you Google walk in vaccine for your area, you should be able to find one.

If you do decide to go to a walk-in, don’t leave it too late in the day as they only carry a certain amount. Good luck x

[PMRpro]

The eligibility is not due to your CURRENT medication, it is what you were taking at the time of the first and second jabs. If you were classed as vulnerable/immunosuppressed then, your jab will be a third primary jab and can be given any time after 8 weeks post the second jab. If you weren't classed as vulnerable/immunosuppressed then the jab will be a booster jab due 6 months after the second jab. The contents/dose of the jab are the same - and either mRNA jab is suitable if you had AZ forthe first two,

[GloomyEeyore]

I live up in Scotland and had the opposite problem. I was sent an appointment for my booster and can’t get it. My second dose was end of July and the booster was for next week! Not due one until January. Trying to explain the appointment was too early they kept thinking I didn’t want a booster, which isn’t true. Just hope I get an appointment at the right time. Hope you manage to get things sorted and get your appointment Xx

[Raven_claw]

Thank you all for replying. Phoned 119 as advised by my GP surgery. They are unable to book me in as anyone under 50 with a health condition needs to be booked in by a GP 🙄 back to GPS again…..

[Wiley1 in reply to Raven_claw]

Hi I’m having the same problem but when I called 119 they said it was due to a ‘system error’ and it was happening to a lot of people. They said they’d pass on my details to nhs digital-what ever that is, and it would take around 5 days to be sorted. They also told me to just keep trying to book online in the meantime😩. I’d be interested to hear how it goes with your g.p as mine said they couldn’t help and to ring 119!

[Raven_claw in reply to Wiley1]

Good luck it so frustrating

[Wiley1 in reply to Raven_claw]

Good luck to you too🙂It really is frustrating. Lupus U.K. say that “it is advised that all people with lupus should have the booster dose” so I think even those on just hydroxy should be able to book a booster ( not 3rd dose).

[Prunes in reply to Raven_claw]

My walk-in centre has a sign on the door that indicates who is eligible for the booster based on the date of their second jab. So tomorrow it will say anyone who had a 2nd jab on or before 13 May can get a booster today - that is regardless of age, if you had a 2nd jab more than six months ago you are eligible for a booster now.

[Raven_claw in reply to Prunes]

Is this regardless of whether they’re classed as high risk or over 50? I’m only on hydroxy so not immunocompromised. Not sure if I’m even classed as high risk

[Kevin53]

A third dose of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is being offered for people with a severely weakened immune system. This third primary dose is an extra ‘top-up’ dose to help increase the level of protection for people who may not have generated a full immune response to the first two doses and might be less protected than the wider population.

A third dose is different from a booster dose. A booster dose is an additional dose to extend the duration of protection from previous doses.

If you are eligible for a third primary dose, you will also need a booster dose to extend the protection from your previous doses. The Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will provide further guidance on the timing of boosters for this group in due course.

Who is being offered a third dose?

People aged 12 years and over who had a severely weakened immune system around the time they had their first two doses of the coronavirus vaccine are now being offered a third dose. This includes those who had or have:

blood cancers (such as leukaemia or lymphoma)

lowered immunity due to treatment (such as steroid medication, biological therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy)

lowered immunity due to inherited disorders of the immune system

an organ or bone marrow transplant

diseases that affect the immune system such as poorly controlled HIV.

If you are eligible, NHS Scotland will contact you to arrange your appointment. If you have not received an appointment and think you’ve been missed, contact your clinician or GP to discuss whether you should get a third dose.

You may also be offered the flu vaccine at the same time as your third dose. The flu vaccine is the safest and most effective way to help protect against flu.

Research has proven that it is safe to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine at the same time, and it’s as effective as giving them at different times

Having the third dose may reduce your chance of catching the coronavirus infection. If you do get coronavirus, the symptoms may be less severe and the illness shorter, than if you had not had the third dose.

How many doses will I need?

At this time, people with a severely weakened immune system are being offered one extra dose to help improve protection.

People with a severely weakened immune system are currently being offered a third dose. They will also need a booster dose to extend the protection from previous doses. Advice on when booster doses will be offered will be confirmed later.

A booster dose is an additional dose to extend protection from the first doses.

Booster doses are currently being offered to people at higher risk from coronavirus.

Timing of a third dose

The third dose should be given at least eight weeks after your second dose, but the timing will depend on any treatment you may be having. Your health specialist can advise on the best time to have your third dose.

If you have a weakened immune system and have been given an earlier second or third dose appointment for clinical reasons, you should attend your appointment as planned.

If you have recently tested positive for coronavirus, you should wait until four weeks after the date you were tested to get any dose of the vaccine. You should do this even if you have no symptoms.

If you have been invited for a third dose and the time or date is not suitable, you can rearrange your appointment.

Previous doses

If you have not had either your first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you should arrange to have them. You will still need the third dose but the timing of it will depend on any treatment you may be given.

[TIMJB1]

If your not taking immunosuppressant in not sure you will be asked to take the third covid jab ,i was called for a third jab because i am taking methotrexate which is an immunosuppressant drug and that's why i was called ,hope this helps a little.