Flu Jab or Covid booster ..Which First

Still unclear about the guidance as it seems to differ between NHS regions..Lloyds Pharmacy sent text to offer flu vaccine in ?November but haven't heard from GP surgery yet..

Our surgery did this year, what they did last year. Gave us three days notice that they would be doing flu jabs last Sunday between 10.00am and midday. Please make an orderly socially distanced queue. The tone of the text suggested that if you didn't turn up it would be assumed you didn't want the flu jab and no further opportunities to have the flu jab would be offered.

We were on holiday 300 miles away so couldn't have got there. Last year DH went down to look at the queue. It was at least a quarter of a mile long. No arrangements for the halt, lame or frail for whom shuffling along in a slowly moving queue for an hour or two was not possible.

We will do what we did last year. Go to our local pharmacy.

I've just had my flu jab this morning at the surgery, and they told me I will get the covid booster in mid October.

Our local health board is advising that we'll get our booster at the same time as our flu jab, if the timing for the booster is right.

I'll take it whenever it's offered.

I looked it up the other week and the advice was a week between the flu vaccination and the booster Harmony
I didn’t know the flu vaccine had such a short immunity time surely they shouldn’t be offering them in September then

I had my Ist jab in Jan because where I worked had a vac centre and they had extra vac and didnt want to chuck it so was vac'd early, then 2nd jab in March so booster was due this month after 6 months. I was very lucky to be working where they were vaccinating at the time. Im 66 and count my self lucky that Ive had my booster. My DH is younger than me and wont have his booster until Dec/Jan.

Skydancer see attached. Thanks Alegrias1 on another thread. These are ONS figures.

Chardy

DD and I were trying to work out who had had 2 jabs before March as you need 6 month gap between 2nd jab and booster.
Today's News said over 50s and vulnerables, but the majority of them weren't double jabbed by March, were they?

I wondered about that too. I'm 66 now and had my second dose on 16 May, so I'm not eligible for a booster until mid November.

I had my booster at the local hospital yesterday it was the pfizer and I felt ok after. I had a NHS text to say I was able to have it so I booked it. No problem.
I will get my flu jab at my GPs when I get my letter to tell me when.

Does it matter what order you have them in? Just have them and be thankful.

Pinnywinch

I know in Midlothian the GPs are probably going to give the two injections at the same appointment - one in each arm.

They might not. I live in Midlothian and the GP Practice has posted on FB that the immunisation team are doing flu vaccines not GP Practices. Both DGC under 5 have got appointments with immunisation team in leisure centres for flu vaccine and my Mum who is 86 has an appointment at Gorebridge Leisure Centre for her flu jag. She lives in Edinburgh. She was very confused and was going to rip up the letter "as my GP always does it!" Have rescued the letter and as I take her anyway, makes no difference to me but I think they should put it on local news as Mum is blind and never in her life used a mobile phone never mind social media!

DD and I were trying to work out who had had 2 jabs before March as you need 6 month gap between 2nd jab and booster.
Today's News said over 50s and vulnerables, but the majority of them weren't double jabbed by March, were they?

I remember last year they run out of the flu jab, so get it as soon as your offered

My local pharmacy phoned me offering the flu jab this week, so I had it yesterday and so did my partner. I’m 66 and he’s 53. Last year he got his at the same time as me, but had to pay, as it was being rolled out for his age range. No charge this time.

Heard nothing from my GP about either jabs yet. Keeping fingers crossed.

twiglet77

My flu jab is booked for this Saturday. I saw a notice in Boots in mid-July that they were taking bookings and as I work in a public-facing role in a supermarket, I wanted to get it as early as possible. I will be offered the NHS one by my surgery but last year the letter didn't arrive until well into the winter, I'd rather pay the very small cost and be protected before winter.

My second Covid jab was late May so I'll expect to be offered the booster after the end of November.

If you are entitled to the free NHS jab then it will be free at Boots as well. Well that's what happens at my local Boots and I would imagine that is a national policy. I go to my small local branch as it feels like a bit of a cattle market at the GPs, very efficient and obviously lots to do but a bit less frantic at Boots.

I believe there is an additional component in the over 65s flu vaccine. That’s the extent of my knowledge though!

Kimski44 that's interesting..different vaccine for over 65s..does anyone know the science on this vaccine ..thought the flu vaccine was 'one size fits all?'

My flu jab is booked for this Saturday. I saw a notice in Boots in mid-July that they were taking bookings and as I work in a public-facing role in a supermarket, I wanted to get it as early as possible. I will be offered the NHS one by my surgery but last year the letter didn't arrive until well into the winter, I'd rather pay the very small cost and be protected before winter.

My second Covid jab was late May so I'll expect to be offered the booster after the end of November.

Is there much point in having the flu jab? I mean, last year there was hardly any and who do you come across in crowded places these days? I used to use public transport and go to the theatre but now I don't do any of that. I was told by a doctor that this past winter in the Southern Hemisphere there has been hardly any flu because of lockdowns.

As long as it is 6 months since your last vaccine, then I don't see why you couldn't have both at the same time.

Doesn't worry me. I'd have covid booster every month if it was offered.

Edith81

Flu jab??? a funny enough, I thought flu had been totally eradicated this year because I’ve not heard of one death because of it. Very strange!!!!!

They said that flu had been contained last year because of mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, lockdowns etc. However, because we gained no immunities to flu last year and with these preventative measures now mainly lifted, the population has no immunity for flu so this years outbreak is expected to be severe. Hence the need for flu jabs for the over 50’s.

Please feel free to correct me if you have solid evidence regarding flu vaccination but I used to work in the NHS and we always had our flu jabs mid-late November. We were told that this was the best time to give the vaccine because it is most effective for the first 4 months which covers January and February which is the most common time for people to be affected by the flu.

Also, my understanding of what's been said about the covid booster is that we'll be offered it approx 6 months after our 2nd jab and that this would (where appropriate) be given at the same time at the flu jab but one in each arm.

If this is correct, I personally should get my covid booster in about 3 weeks and I'll be leaving my flu jab until at least the middle of November.

I have had both Covid jabs but I don't think I will have the booster. I have yet to see the evidence that the vaccine is working. Hospital admissions are 4x higher than this time last year. Deaths also increased. My belief is that masks and distancing gave better protection, now they have gone the virus is on the increase. Affecting those who have been double jabbed. I so wanted the evidence to show a fall in the Covid rates, but I see nothing