Booster vaccination

But if even some people are having problems accessing their vaccines, it is an indication that the programme isn't going as well as it should.

Not going as well as it should is a long way from its a shambles. Does everything have to be so extreme?

I am in Manchester. At my local pharmacy round the corner I popped in on the off chance to see if I could book an appointment with them for the booster. My 6 months were up on Tuesday. "We can do it now if you wait a few minutes " they said. Couple of minutes later my sleeve was rolled up and it was done. A couple of people had come in after me. Really efficient.

Oh well, as long as most people in Scotland are OK, why are some of us making such a fuss?

Could it be that some of the most vulnerable members of society have been badly let down and little is being done to support us.

It would be interesting to read if attitudes would change, if some posters on here or a family member, found themselves in the same position as the immunocompromised, who are having difficulty accessing the vaccine.
I bet you would be complaining very loudly!

Count your blessings that you are not in that position.

Thank you Marydoll
I think that’s the vaccine which in some cases is taking longer to be administered than the booster.

So I am 70 and not immunocompromised. I have just booked a third jab. I assume this is not a booster?

humptydumpty

So I am 70 and not immunocompromised. I have just booked a third jab. I assume this is not a booster?

I believe, if you are in England, you would have had letter stating you are immunocompromised and need third PRIMARY vaccine, which is different from a booster.
In Scotland, months ago, we received a letter stating that we were coded immunocompromised on our Community Health Index. That was all. Nothing since.

I haven't actually received a letter (I'm im England) so I think this must be a booster?

Probably.

I've just come back from a shambles of a vaccination centre. Huge place, lots of booths but very few vaccinators! Turned up for our appointment and told there would be a minimum two hour queue. Staff were very nice and very apologetic but had been badly let down by the organisers. I was lucky in that DH organised a wheelchair for me otherwise I'd have had to leave.

PS I'm in Scotland!

You used the ‘s’ word ….

Just to clarify, the 3rd primary vaccine (for the immunocompromised) and the 3rd booster injection (for those not in the immunocompromised/immunosurpressed group) are actually the same vaccine but used differently. This is because Pfizer is the currently available vaccine for most groups (it is also a mRNA vaccine which is recommended for the immunocompromised). The Moderna vaccine, not as far as I know in general use among the older population, is also a mRNA vaccine but it is normally given at too a low a dose to be effective as a booster for older groups. If Moderna is to be used as a 3 primary vaccine, then a double dose will be needed.

However, those having had the 3rd primary vaccine will be called for their (first) booster in 6 months.

The charity, Blood Cancer UK is the main source of my information. I 'follow' them on Facebook. A recent webinar of experts, who discussed the vaccination program and results of trials, started by focussing on the the roll out of the 3rd primary vaccine and I think that no-one watching would be in any doubt that there had been many problems. However, the experts on the webinar were not based in Scotland and they could only comment about the roll-out in England.

Although I have had my 3rd primary dose, I spent 4 weeks trying to find out how to get it. I ended up in a circular maze, specialist-GP-119-GP and only managed by applying through the PALS (Patient Liaison Group) after which I had a letter with an appointment.

Thank you for your very informative post, Missedout. You appear to have had a similar experience to mine.

These sites have information on the third vaccine.

Versus Arthritis

Crohn's &ColitisUK

MayBee70

You used the ‘s’ word ….

What, Scotland?

We live in a sparsely populated rural part of England and are 70. We got our letters about 3 days after being eligible to go to the local centre. It was for 7.20p.m. on a cold damp night.I was not looking forward to it but there were no queues and very efficient with pleasant staff also offered the flu jab if not already had it. Ten minute sit with a timer and all done. Went home and found an app on the phone telling us to book at the local walk in centres if we had not received a letter. Too good to be true.
Too right it was I have never felt so ill in years and dh was just the same completely off the planet yesterday. The first two were Astra Zeneca and we were a bit sleepy this was Phizer complete knock out job with awful headaches.Still better safe.

We were given the Moderna as a booster. Had Pfizer first two times.

Interesting information Missedout but I am still a bit confused as those with compromised immune systems have been told to definitely not have the booster instead of the third primary one, yet you say they are the same vaccine yet used in a different way.

Maybe it’s just to avoid confusion about the majority only needing three jabs as against the vulnerable needing four.

JenniferEccles, my understanding is there is an issue over time that should elapse between the 2nd vaccination and the 3rd primary. As many of the immunocompromised had shown very little response to the first two vaccinations, it became more urgent that this group get another vaccination in the hope that they will gain some protection. Unfortunately, it was not well communicated. Those with normal responses are expected to wait the 6 months before getting their boosters. The immunocompromised group were all supposed to have received their 3rd vaccination by mid October (not sure of the actual date but stated in my letter from Mr Javid).

Meanwhile those vaccinated more than 6 months ago are due for their booster. The trouble is that there was originally difficulty in recording whether the 3rd vaccination was a 3rd primary or a booster. So it doesn't matter which (mRNA) vaccine the immunocompromised have but those who need it will need a 4th dose in 6 months and need to be identified somehow.

From the webinar I watched earlier, NHS England are now saying that all those immunocompromised who are having their 3rd vaccination will be identified and called for their booster at the appropriate time (in 6 months), they believe that they now have the systems in place to enable this. This would mean that the 3rd primary and first booster are the same (as long as they are mRNA vaccines) and that we should be able to rely on the 'systems' to identify those needing their 4th vaccination at the right time. I hope they are right.

admin at GP surgery rang me about person i help.
she is ECV, immuno-suppressed adn had received a letter from nhs aying she needs a third jab, and that it is not the booster.
the admin person insisted there was no such thing, and district nurses would come to give her the booster and flu jabs.
what should i/she do ?
should i let them give her a booster jab, as long as it's pfizer, even though they are not calling it the third dose.
does it make a difference.
so very difficult. feel if we try to explain further, about the letter, they won't come at all, and then she'll not even get the flu jab.
so do you think having a booster rather than third jab, is better than not having either. ?
hope you can understand what i mean.
i find it worrying that GP surgery seem unaware of third dose.
we are in burbs of london.

welbeck, why don't you arrange the visit and at least your friend will get her flu vaccination. You friend won't be the first immunocompromised patient the district nurse has come across and if she can't administer the appropriate Covid vaccination, she will be able to have a word with her GP, about what do next.

Shelflife I’ve been trying each day to book my booster, exactly 6 months and 1 week (yesterday)after my second jab, I was able to book online.
Booster is tomorrow.

PS I’ve just been trying to book this week.

I received an NHS text yesterday (NOT from my surgery) saying I was eligible for the booster (six months to the day after my second jab). The centre I attended previously now operates some drop in days as well as appointments. I went along yesterday, waited about an hour.

Our surgery hasn’t contacted us once about the vaccinations so we’ve sorted ourselves out.

Marydoll This site (https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/covid-19-vaccination-third-dose-or-booster) says that if you have the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine, the content is exactly the same if you have a booster or a third dose. If you have a Moderna jab, it will only be a half-dose if you are having a booster.

lymphoma-action.org.uk/covid-19-vaccination-third-dose-or-booster