Booster vaccination

I had my booster yesterday at Llantrisant leisure centre, it was so well organised. I must say all our vaccination sessions have been excellent here.

I can understand the extremely vulnerable being very anxious, but not why others are getting so stressed about not being contacted before their booster is even due. I had my second jab on 23 April at our GP surgery, so am just assuming someone will contact me soon after tomorrow, 23 October. I’ll contact the surgery if I haven’t heard within a couple of weeks, or if I can’t get an appointment via the website by then. We’re all still protected by our double jabs - our immunity doesn’t just disappear six months later, it just starts to wane.

wildswan16

I had an appointment for the booster - but at a drive-through venue so far away it is impossible for a non-car owner to get to. Phoned to change the venue and they cancelled that appointment but there are NO appointments anywhere in my health board area (Lothian, Scotland).

So now left phoning every few days to be told the same thing. It's frustrating.

Why phone ? Why not try the nhs website a few times ?

Lucca

wildswan16

I had an appointment for the booster - but at a drive-through venue so far away it is impossible for a non-car owner to get to. Phoned to change the venue and they cancelled that appointment but there are NO appointments anywhere in my health board area (Lothian, Scotland).

So now left phoning every few days to be told the same thing. It's frustrating.

Why phone ? Why not try the nhs website a few times ?

Why phone? Because it is not possible to book online. You can reschedule if you have an appointment. Which I don't, because it was cancelled.

I would not spend frustrating time on the phone if there was another option !

Coincidentally I am having my flu abd Covid vaccines later today. GPs in Scotland no longer administer flu vaccine following a change in their contract in 2017/18. This now falls within the remit of local health boards and social care partnerships. GPs have a very small allocation of vaccines for care home residents/housebound but other than that they will no longer provide this service. System seems to be working here (NHS Grampian), I had my 2nd vaccine late April and received notification of booster date two weeks ago.

*and

Lucky you, Katek! We had our second doses in late April too, but no word from NHS Grampian about our boosters or flu vaccines yet. I'm not worried at the moment, but it would be nice to get them done!

Baggs

My GP surgery is not giving boosters, which I think was a decision by our health authority (Highland). Perhaps other health authorities have made this decision as well?

We are Highland NHS and my OH is getting his today - over 70s only at the moment. It is almost exactly 6 months since 2nd jag. This is via local GP’s surgery. Drive up, roll up sleeve and stick your arm out!

We've just had ours at a local church hall. It was very efficient. A man in front of us didn't have an appointment. They did him anyway.

Lol tizliz! If memory serves me you’re fairly rural with no large population centres nearby. Perhaps the contract with Highland health board is set up differently given the remoteness of some of the population.
wheniwasyourage - hope you get your letter soon, Dh is same time scale as you and hasn’t received anything either. Only difference I can see is that I was on shielded list-maybe doing those first?? It’s a mystery!

Our booster jabs are due after 28th October but our GPs have decided they will not be administering it. Their advice is do not contact them. NHS England will contact us informing us of where and when we can get the booster jab. What happens if we haven’t heard by next week I don’t know.

That’s me done! Even better they checked DH’s eligibility and said he could have his done today as well. Now just sitting for our 15 minutes before heading home.

You can only book online if you are over 50 and have been invited. Unless of course you are a health worker. I think that it's probably best to wait s couple of weeks past the 6 month date before getting concerned.

Oh yes, Katek, that would explain why you had your letter so early and we haven't had ours yet. That makes sense, and I'm very glad for you that they could offer it to your DH at the same time! Isn't it nice when the system works with a bit of sensible thinking?

I found this from a Zoe update today. Might be of interest to some.

Tim also talks about a new COVID strain emerging from the Delta variant.

Would anybody know what happens if you had Covid as well as the two jabs? I don’t seem to get any information on this.

I’ve had Covid twice, two vaccinations, and then my booster, no problems at all

Thanks Shinamae I guess there would have to be a certain interval between catching Covid and the booster?

Tanks for replies

SueDonim

What’s the difference between a third jab and a booster? Different names for the same thing or are they separate things.

My Dh has an appt for a flu jab where a booster CV ‘may be available’. I’ve heard nothing, though I had mine only one week after his.

What I was told is that currently they are the same. That might change in the future.

A third dose is for those who are immune Compromised and can be given before 6 months

A booster is after 6 months for the rest of us.

People receiving a third dose Will likely be offered a booster in 6 months time

I got a text from the NHS exactly 6 months after my 2nd vaccination, telling me I’m “now eligible for my booster vaccination”. I fall into the first priority group as a nurse working in elderly care. The residents in the home I work in all had their boosters the week before. I think they are rolling it out using the same priority groups as they did for the first vaccination.

BlueSky

Thanks Shinamae I guess there would have to be a certain interval between catching Covid and the booster?

The last time I had Covid was mid February

Shinamae

I’ve had Covid twice, two vaccinations, and then my booster, no problems at all

Shinamae, may I ask if you were ill when you "had covid twice" or did you have positive test results but few or no symptoms? (I hope the latter).

BlueSky

Thanks Shinamae I guess there would have to be a certain interval between catching Covid and the booster?

i looked this up, as annoyingly i have had a chesty cold/cough just when i got the invitation to booster jab.
what i read on nhs website said to wait 28 days from first symptoms, before getting vaccination.

In North Essex you can go to the walk in pop ups with no appointment if you are eligible for your booster. I understand that there are queues!