The Elusive Third Primary Vaccine - not the Booster

Thanks Mary, that’s right. I managed to get through to the RA nurse.
I spoke to his (RA) consultant’s secretary, and she said to speak to one of the nurses, as they’d know more about what’s going on (she didn’t have a clue what I was on about).
It really beggars belief doesn’t it

Fanny , if I remember correctly, Your husband has another condition, that requires the medication, similar to the one I'm on. That is the consultant to contact.

Yes I have had the third primary vaccination. I have leukaemia (CML) and when I received the letter asking me to attend for my booster I phoned them up and said what about my third jab first? It was agreed I should be receiving a third primary and the next week I received a text asking me to attend the vaccination centre in town. The man on the door didn't know about the third one and asked someone else and she was 'in the know' and led me off to a nurse also 'in the know'. However the admin person recording which vaccination you were having was at a complete loss as to where it should be recorded. So we'll see if I am contacted for my booster next March! I knew about it because of a Blood Cancer charity site which I follow and it said for all Blood cancers and immune suppressed people.

Thanks.
I'll cook a virtual roast to go with it, as my neighbour has selfishly gone out to eat this week.

Sorry to hear that you are still ill MissA
(The chicken is my virtual, neighbourly gift )

I’m CEV, taking methotrexate for arthritis and had the third primary vaccine a couple of weeks ago. The first two were AstraZenica and the third was Pfizer - the third was given about five months after the second AZ. I’ve been advised that I will have a booster in 6 months.

Is there a helpline or anything with automated, clear info available?

I think that the most shocking thing was when I rang MrC’s respitatory team, who he is constant contact with due to four recent hospitalisations as a result of Covid (long, long horrible story).

Even they hadn’t heard of it.

There’s not a great deal of hope at present is there?

I know nothing at all about it.
I have been sent along for what I have needed in order to work in care, but have been poorly recently, am off work, and have found myself in the midst of all this.

Some very interesting points raised. I only learnt of this third dose recently thanks to a friend who had seen the Zoe info. I had the booster 2 weeks ago so not sure where this leaves me. I'm also classed as immunosuppressed due to medication for RA.

This thread just proves it, doesnt it?
For people who don't use the internet or have much contact with others it will be impossible to sort out.

Too right MissA

Yearoff

My mother got hers last Sunday. A full dose of moderna rather than the half booster dose. She takes methotrexate for RA.

Now I’ve been told that the booster is stronger than the third dose
This was from the chief rheumatology nurse at our hospital.

I don't think it's too much to ask that the booster/third dose advice is made clear and accessible for everyone, including gps and nurses/practice managers.
It's too much for some people to negotiate on their own.

I found it hard to understand that I had initially been able to find out more about the third vaccine (from blood cancer charities on the internet - not hard to do) than the GP or even the hospital staff seemed to know! I ended up having what the GP called the Pfizer booster, a full dose, which Blood Cancer UK confirmed was the same dose as the elusive 'third vaccine'. I will probably have another battle in 6 months to get a booster. A week afterwards I got the letter from the hospital consultant confirming what I needed. Hope it was the right thing to do.

My mother got hers last Sunday. A full dose of moderna rather than the half booster dose. She takes methotrexate for RA.

Clara , I can totally empathise. I had a similar experience.
As said previously. The third and booster are the same, just used differently. It's just that you will receive four as opposed to three. If AZ previously, you need a different one for the third.
Some posters contacted PALS and got a result. Good luck!

I did notice when looking for info about a third primary vaccine, NHS Wales appeared to be on the ball.

What does trouble me (although none of my business) is there are some posters across the threads, who have little understanding of the implications of their medical conditions and the impact of the medications used to manage them.

I don't mean to preach, but we have responsibility for our own health and as been posted here, not all clinical staff have up to date information.

I am on immunosuppressants and received a text from the NHS on 14th October to say they advise I book a third dose of vaccine, I then received a letter to back this up. I called my GP surgery twice as this is not bookable online or by calling 119 (1 tried both options). I couldn't get past the receptionist who told me they would require proof of my NHS letter and need a letter from my consultant to be able to book this for me (what a waste of his time). My consultant told me to contact my GP! I asked to speak to a doctor had have also had this request denied. I've now received another letter from my Health Trust saying that I am eligible for a third jab and that I will be contacted to arrange this, that was two weeks ago. My booster is due soon and I've given up hope of the third jab as no-one seems to be very helpful, I'm actually losing the will, anxiety is through the roof due to my chronic illness and this is not helping.

My husband had the third vaccine, wasn't expecting it, went for the booster when he was called but was given a phizer shot (had AZ last time) and will have a booster later because he is on methotrexate which compromises his immune system, had no problem with it. He was called by the NHS in Wales.

I had my third jab 3 weeks ago. I have cancer and had my first two jabs while having chemo. My understanding is that there may not be the efficacy if having cancer or other treatments.
I tried to book online but it wasn’t possible, then trie 119, again not possible. Eventually got through to GP surgery and they told me to take my letter to the walk in centre. They hadn’t heard of the third vaccine but soon clarified with a few phone calls. Booster in 6 months. I have had all Pfizer.

I read about the proposed 3 primary jab a while ago but despite asking our practice nurse and my haematology clinic no-one knew anything about it. A couple of weeks ago I got invited for a booster jab and whilst there asked staff about why I hadn’t had a 3rd primary jab. They said this would be my third jab but had no idea if I would be offered a booster in the future!! So no idea what’s happening.

The confusion on this thread about the very existence of the third vaccine is telling in itself, no offence at all to any posters

Gandalf sorry to pick you up on this, but this thread is about the third primary vaccine, which is in addition to the booster (but not different from, as we have found out - I think ?)

Thank you for your service on the front line!

As I read it, the whole system is a mess, with the NHS, as usual, making a total hash on the admin front, despite the VAST amounts spent by them on ineffective ‘management’. I was contacted and assured by my GP surgery that I would receive a third booster jab with my flu vaccine at a local ‘centre’, quite far from where I live, and it was booked by them. When I arrived I was told that I could only get a flu jab as I was seven days away from the six months specified THEN (last week!) from my second, so I was not eligible. Now the government/NHS have changed their minds again and it’s five months! I wonder just how many times this has happened/ is happening around the country, both past and present. What a bunch of time and money wasters who prize ‘protocols’ above all and who couldn’t get a story right to save their lives! Good job they work for a state institution where the inefficiencies are tolerated; in private industry they’d be sacked! NB: I used to work for the NHS and have seen similar debacles so many times for countless years!