Age limit for RSV vaccination

It’s all a lottery. When the shingles vaccine was first introduced, it was for people aged 70 and 79. However, there was a cut-off, which meant that only those whose seventieth birthday fell after September 1st of that year were eligible. My mother was born in the February of that year so missed out. She did not get it until her late seventies in the end, as it became available to all over seventies. Last year, the age of eligibility for the shingles vaccine was brought down to 65; again the cut-off point was for those born after September 1st 1958. My husband and oldest cousin were both born in July of that year, so it could be years before they are eligible. It all seems so arbitrary.

My DH who suffers every winter from chest infections had the RSV jab yesterday at a pharmacy… as he turned 80 in April.. we paid privately ..£300.00 I had checked if it would be detrimental to his health being over 80… but was told the decision to cut off at 79 and 364 days was an economic one! Who does the maths!!! What does it cost to keep an over 80 year old in hospital for a week!!!

When I went for the RSV jab, I asked why my husband (almost 81) wasn’t offered it. I was told that he probably wouldn’t need it anyway, as people over 80 only tended to mix with others of the same age. She was a bit taken aback when I said that wasn’t so in his case, as he helped run a cycling club for children and their parents!

Frankly KnittyNannie I cannot think of any 81 year old who only mixes with other people the same age as them. what a stupid ageist remark.

Staff in a medicsl facility, more than anyone else, should know that age tells you nothing about a person, beyond their date of birth.

MissAdventure I was informed by nurse doing the vaccine that the RSV is given to babies almost at birth and have been given this for many years.

My DH has just finished a course of antibiotics for a cough. It's still ongoing, and he generally gets chest infections in the winter. Although he's 86, he still plays bridge with a mixed aged group and goes into London every week to his adult education centre, again mixed age group, I think they are just being ageist.

Age reasons are a mystery, perhaps just pay for the jab.

We did. Done and dusted.

Unfortunately there’s a lot of NHS cut off lines that we don’t know about and often don’t seem to make much sense. A few years ago my Mum was admitted to resus due to a massive stroke and unfortunately for the staff in A&E that night I overheard the Doctor and nurse discussing my DM age and whether she was past the government cut off age for treatment that night. She was 80, it turned out the cut off that night was 81! She would have been treated anyway as after I overheard that I went absolutely mad, I was disgusted. Only a few years ago they were advertising on TV how vital it is to be treated asap with a stroke victim, they certainly don’t tell you that there is a cut off age they won’t treat you!!

I’m 77 and received a text inviting me for the RSV jab. Rang my local Surgery to be told that there were no available appointments at all! Enquired in person a couple of weeks later and was told I was “too old”!

I had mine and the doctor told me husband 85 was too old for any benefit as immune system weakens with age.

DH wants one but only 74. Surgery told him to call beck next July

Bluedaisy

Unfortunately there’s a lot of NHS cut off lines that we don’t know about and often don’t seem to make much sense. A few years ago my Mum was admitted to resus due to a massive stroke and unfortunately for the staff in A&E that night I overheard the Doctor and nurse discussing my DM age and whether she was past the government cut off age for treatment that night. She was 80, it turned out the cut off that night was 81! She would have been treated anyway as after I overheard that I went absolutely mad, I was disgusted. Only a few years ago they were advertising on TV how vital it is to be treated asap with a stroke victim, they certainly don’t tell you that there is a cut off age they won’t treat you!!

Only a few years ago they were advertising on TV how vital it is to be treated asap with a stroke victim, they certainly don’t tell you that there is a cut off age they won’t treat you!!

The phrase is, I believe, "it's not in your best interests" when treatment is denied to the over 80s (and sometimes younger).

However, some years ago, I was hospitalised for quite a period of time. A lady of 87 had extensive, and successful, abdominal surgery - she became a friend. She is now over 90 and caring for her disabled partner.

The surgeon /consultant who performed her surgery was also my consultant (now retired). We were discussing the possibility of further surgery for my condition, and, as he was a personable and friendly man, I asked him "aren't I too old for that?" (I was 78 at the time).

This is what happened - and he probably broke a number of NHS guidelines... I was sitting on my bed and he plonked himself next to me; he took one of my hands and held it between his, smiled at me, and said, "xxx (my first name) - I am looking at your biological age, not your chronological age".

If only this were the standard thinking within the NHS.