The Elusive Third Primary Vaccine - not the Booster

Hi I git a text from GP re 3rd vaccine but its not until 20th at earliest I checked Derby walk in no 3rd doses available but checked today they have some! Will go tomorrow if they have any left ( Got mil coming for lunch )

I self inject methotrexate weekly. I should therefore be classed as immunosuppressive, but apparently not. I had the greatest of difficulty obtaining a booster, which was Pfizer, when my first two shots were AstraZeneca. It took me 10 phone calls and 4 sessions online before I found a kind Tesco pharmacist who rang me up at short notice to say someone who had booked in hadn’t turned up so I could take their place. I had to drive several miles to a different town. Even then it was weeks after the recommended time I should have had the jab. My own doctor’s surgery was most unhelpful; online I would have had to travel about 50 miles or more to an unfamiliar town to be jabbed; the help line hopeless: only recorded messages saying they couldn’t answer the phone owing to staff shortages. I live alone, am 78 and wracked with arthritis. What if I were yet older and frailer and couldn’t push and shove the way I had to to get the booster? I can guarantee that members of this Tory government didn’t have to jump through similar hoops to be dealt with. Hypocrites, the lot of them.

I’m a front line nhs worker with direct patient contact. I had my booster at work 2 weeks ago. My First doses were in January and March this year.

My trust were initially asking staff to book, but then switched to accepting walk ins so I popped across to the vaccination hub on a Friday afternoon and got the last available dose that day. It’s been very straight forward with regular emails to staff letting them know when and how to access the third dose.

My 86 year old father got his booster via his gp about 6 months after his second dose. He wouldn’t be able to access any online booking systems. Thankfully he was contacted directly by phone to make an appointment.

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!

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!

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

Too right MissA

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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