Booster (5th)

[Peacox]

Hello all, I hope you're all doing well. I was wondering about the 5th booster jab. I had my 4th on March 1st. I just had a quick look online and it said 'You may be eligible ' for the 5th booster. Anyway, I booked it for two weeks. I haven't really got any letter or anything -- the last time I asked my GP for a letter I was told 'we don't do them'. I'm on 15mg MTX & 200mg Hydroxychloroquine

[Mmrr]

I had my 5th vaccination 2 weeks ago. I initially didn't accept the offer, feeling that I had had enough vaccinations in the past year. But after the numbers of Covid cases rising so rapidly rethought and decided to take it.

I paid to have my antibodies tested, the results just came in today >2500, up from 177 last year.

So I'm pleased I took it.

[Peacox in reply to Mmrr]

I definitely want it. It’s just whether they’ll actually believe I’m eligible. I’m not 100 percent sure. I hope so. Thanks for the reply — sorry for the underlining — it was a mistake 😃

[Mmrr in reply to Peacox]

I understand that it is 3 months between vaccinations.

[pauluk60 in reply to Mmrr]

how does that test cost mmrr and did you get jab at docs or local centre

[Mmrr in reply to pauluk60]

I use the website 'testing for all' a non profit based company who send the antibody testing kit out by post. You need to jab your own finger for blood, fill the tube and send back. You get the results online. All very straight forward. £45.

My 5th vaccination was in a local vaccination centre. The GPs are no longer doing Covid vaccinations. I live in Scotland.

[Knip in reply to Mmrr]

How big is the tube you have to fill Mmrr? I'm sitting here imagining squeezing my finger all morning to fill the said tube! Presumably it's very small. xx

[Mmrr in reply to Knip]

It is only a few mls.I soaked my hands in warm water for a good few minutes immediately before jabbing my finger, until my fingers were well warmed up and pink. Stand up with your arm and the jabbed finger hanging by your side, with the tube immediately below the finger (on a stool). I didn't need to squeeze my finger a few drops of blood dripped out.

[Knip in reply to Mmrr]

Thanks Mmrr. That sounds fairly straight forward. I'm on clopidogrel so my blood flows fairly well normally.

[Jackie1947 in reply to Mmrr]

Where I am it's 6 between jabs

[Mmrr in reply to Jackie1947]

12 weeks in Scotland.

[Jackie1947 in reply to Mmrr]

I did have my second jab 3 months apart due to starting a new medication but normally in England it's 6 months

[Runrig01 in reply to Jackie1947]

Immunosuppressed are being advised to have the spring booster after 3 months. I’m in England and had my 3 primary doses in Feb, April and Oct last year. I then had my first booster Jan this year, followed by my 5th Spring booster in April. The gps green book advises immunosuppressed to get 5th dose from 3 months after previous dose to align us with the Autumn boosters. You can book online and take the evidence sent stating you were eligible for a 3rd primary dose, or a clinic and letter stating your meds and illness

5th spring nhs booster

[Peacox in reply to Runrig01]

Yes I had my 4th 3 months after my 3rd. That time the GP phoned me to arrange it. This time I’ve heard nothing so I went online & it let me book one . . . So we’ll see how it goes. Thanks.

[Knip in reply to Runrig01]

Maureen, I took a list of my medications with the boxes flattend out and a list of my ailments. They just took one look and said 'Yes, I can see that you are eligible'. That was in response to an NHS text. x

[Knip in reply to Mmrr]

Wow! That's a great response Mmrr. Great news. xx

[achyknitter]

I had my 5th vaccination last week. I had not had any sort of notification regarding the spring booster and could not get sufficient advice as to whether I qualified or not so in the end I took the documentation from my previous vaccinations together with a box of my methotrexate pills to the main vaccination centre in my area and there was no problem.

[Jackie1947]

I've just had a text from the GP saying 5th jab plus flu is in Oct. Will have to go elsewhere as my GP surgery isn't licensed to do them

[BoneyC]

I didn't have any letter to show when I had my 5th jab, but I went to the same venue as for the other 4. Just told them immunosuppressed, RA, MTX and I got it. Good luck.

[Peacox in reply to BoneyC]

Thank you. That’s what I’ll do, too.

[Runrig01]

If you received a letter stating you were eligible for a 3rd primary dose, then your eligible for the spring booster, and just take the letter re the 3rd dose with you. Nhs guidance is if your unsure then book it anyway and discuss at the vaccine centre.

[Peacox in reply to Runrig01]

That’s the thing, I never got a letter. The GP contacted me and made the appointment for me. So no letter. When I asked for a letter (as proofs etc) I was told that my GP surgery “doesn’t send out letters”. It’s all so I joined up and chaotic, isn’t it?

[Runrig01 in reply to Peacox]

They will also accept a clinic summary that states your meds and illness, or a prescription with the meds listed. My benepali is on my repeat for information only as well as my MTX. Failing all that they say you can take the meds in their original box as proof. If it’s biologics that need refrigerated I’d just take the box though

[Gymcactus]

I just went to my local walk in vaccination centre, am only on 15mg methotrexate and they do check your records, but I was given 5th no problems. The nurse said if you are on metho then you qualify, it was 3 months after my 4th.

[Peacox in reply to Gymcactus]

Thank you. Fingers crossed then.

[Nuttyshirlz]

I got a text message asking me to book my 5th jab that was about 2 months ago or they about I know I’m due a 6th about late sept ish around my flu jab time. I just wait for my drs to message me.

[Chockyuk]

Do you know, until last week I had no idea I was even eligible for the 4th let alone a 5th. I was thinking so many of my work colleagues have been very poorly with Covid also one of them has RA and has had 5, so I rang my GP to double check. The receptionist told me you’d have to be severely immunosuppressed to qualify for what she called the spring booster and I probably wasn’t!! I said are you sure, I’m on 20mg of Methotrexate and also Sulphasalazine, plus I’ve had 3 steroid injections in the past year......so she looked at my records and said oh yes, there is a flag against your name, she then apologised and said I should have been contacted much earlier, as I’ve only had my original two AZ jabs and the Pfizer booster! Anyway, I was a bit peeved, as I also have asthma, but I popped along to my local vaccination centre last week and had my spring booster of the Moderna vaccine last week.

Looking at the posts on here, was I supposed to have 3 primary? I’ve had 2 primary and 2 boosters?

Xx

[Boxerlady in reply to Chockyuk]

Sorry to hear that you've had problems with your surgery but good that you've now had your 4th vaccination. The terminology isn't important; everyone had the same jabs but the 3rd one was called either a booster or a 3rd primary depending on whether you were eligible for 4th one or not. Many of us had a booster which was subsequently renamed primary 🙄

[Chockyuk in reply to Boxerlady]

Oh thank you Boxerlady, I had no idea. I’m pleased I’ve had the 4th though and will keep on top of this now, so I’ll be ready for my 5th. This is why I love it on here, the wealth of knowledge 😊

[Boxerlady in reply to Chockyuk]

Your 5th may well be due when we all get the autumn one - maybe combined with or at the same time as the flu jab? Good to know that you've got the extra protection now anyway 😉

[Rainyda in reply to Boxerlady]

I know you can get the flu vac same day as booster, I hear one has to stop Rinvoq for about a week before Bivalent (5th booster), and a week after?? Waiting for feedback on this.