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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Turned away from my booster

97 replies

Refusedmybooster · 09/12/2021 21:08

New rules started yesterday, anyone can have booster as long as they had their second jab at least 91 days ago.
Went onto NHS website and booked for this morning. I'm at 5 and a half months post second jab.
Turned up today and was turned away as I wasn't yet at 6 months.
I read out the guidance on the NHS website.
I showed that I had booked through the correct channels.
Computer says no.
They want us to have a vaccine and then say no.
What a joke.
(Name change but long standing mumsnetter)

OP posts:
tallduckandhandsome · 10/12/2021 10:07

@JabNotInArm yep, you lose goodwill turning away people with genuine appts, especially when walk-ins are permitted.

gingergiraffe · 10/12/2021 10:19

This happened to me. Got nhs advice to book but went to local vaccination centre, queued for an hour, turned away as one day early! I didn’t argue as not their fault. Booked the same centre for the following week and walked straight in. On the previous week there were two queues, one for walk ins and one for pre booked. Now I keep getting reminders to book my booster from nhs.

WarriorN · 10/12/2021 14:01

Over heard the people on the door discussing change in time limit and it was clear they had had no idea till that discussion and weren't entirely sure.

Was tempted to show my text TWO messages from the nhs!

Foolsrule · 10/12/2021 16:54

@Flowersupnorth - I had the same as you and they gave me a Moderna booster this week prior to 6 months. I think you’ve been lied to, which is dreadful really!

StealthPolarBear · 10/12/2021 21:28

Has anyone workwd out how to rebook? As far as the system is concerned, ive had it.

SparklingLime · 10/12/2021 21:44

@StealthPolarBear

Has anyone workwd out how to rebook? As far as the system is concerned, ive had it.
If you’re on Twitter, I’d ask Mark Ford, @fordie who is in charge of Delivering the National Booking Service.
StealthPolarBear · 10/12/2021 23:08

Thank you

Cookerhood · 11/12/2021 08:53

@StealthPolarBear have you tried 119?

sanityisamyth · 11/12/2021 08:56

I'm under 40, was sent a letter a week ago with an appointment that wasn't convenient. Cancelled it online. Got two texts on subsequent days confirming my appointment so didn't have much choice but turn up, as I hate feeling like I've wasted a slot. I've now had 2x AZ (which according to the newspapers today are now ineffective) and 1x Moderna booster.

Refusedmybooster · 11/12/2021 09:10

@sanityisamyth where does it say AZ are ineffective? I thought they were saying that you need 3 shots to be more protected against omicron? Which would make those first 2 shots very important, as your 3rd shot is only useful as you've had the other 2?

OP posts:
sanityisamyth · 11/12/2021 09:15

[quote Refusedmybooster]@sanityisamyth where does it say AZ are ineffective? I thought they were saying that you need 3 shots to be more protected against omicron? Which would make those first 2 shots very important, as your 3rd shot is only useful as you've had the other 2?[/quote]
Similar on the front of the DM but couldn't bring myself to screenshot that!!

Turned away from my booster
Turned away from my booster
Turned away from my booster
dementedpixie · 11/12/2021 09:19

But without the first 2 you wouldn't be having a booster. It doesn't say AZ is ineffective but that you get fuller benefits from 3 doses.

Its the same with other vaccines that you get. You need multiple doses to get the best immune response.

StealthPolarBear · 11/12/2021 09:20

Rebooked! The system let me this morning

Refusedmybooster · 11/12/2021 09:34

@sanityisamyth these don't say it is ineffective, they say you need a third dose.
A bit like saying if you are thirsty the first sip isn't going to stop you being thirsty, but it is the first step to quenching your thirst.

OP posts:
sanityisamyth · 11/12/2021 09:36

If you read the detail, it does.

Refusedmybooster · 11/12/2021 09:53

@sanityisamyth no, it says the first 2 on their own offer little protection, but with the booster it leaps to 75%, you can't have a booster if you have nothing to boost.

OP posts:
JabNotInArm · 11/12/2021 12:59

@sanityisamyth - it's like a course of antibiotics. You need to finish the course. It doesn't mean all the tablets up until the last ones are ineffective, it just means the full course gives more effect

chesirecat99 · 11/12/2021 14:06

I'm not sure why you are all arguing over semantics. @sanityisamyth is correct that the data suggests 2 doses of AZ gives 0% protection against SYMPTOMATIC infection with omicron. 2 doses of Pfizer gives 30% protection. 2 doses of any vaccine plus an mRNA booster gives 70% protection against against SYMPTOMATIC infection with omicron.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1040076/Technical_Briefing_31.pdf

There isn't the data yet to know whether 2 doses of AZ gives any protection against severe disease or not. Furthermore, the small sample size used to calculate the vaccine effectiveness and the fact that most people who had AZ are older and, therefore, more likely to be effected severely by COVID, possibly have a less good immune response to vaccination, and probably were vaccinated less recently, could all effect the reliability of the calculations. That said, it's evidence enough that we really do need boosters, especially if you had AZ.

There isn't any data in the report about how much protection a single does of Pfizer provides against omicron so you can't actually conclude that 2 doses of AZ plus Pfizer is any better than one dose of Pfizer against omicron... I would expect that it would be but you can't assume that.

It really doesn't matter though. The overall conclusion should be the same. Get a booster if you want the best protection, especially if you had AZ. I hope everyone on this thread who wants one can get one quickly. Lots of walk in clinics (some pre-bookable) in London are offering boosters to anyone over 18 who was vaccinated over 3 months ago, in case that helps anyone.

Antibiotics and vaccines work very differently so you can't compare the two.

JabNotInArm · 11/12/2021 17:41

I'm not comparing the two, @chesirecat99, aside from the fact that just because you need more than one for them to be effective it doesn't mean the first ones are useless

Motherhubbardscupboard · 12/12/2021 10:33

Update, having been turned away earlier in the week I just got my booster (Moderna) at a walk in. So I've now had 3 x Moderna and the booster was at less than 6 months. They said the guidance changes almost daily and they can only do what that day's guidance says. Certainly today they were doing Moderna at 3 months.

JabNotInArm · 12/12/2021 14:08

I was told I could attend a walk in today and they'd vaccinate me despite being under 40. Made childcare arrangements again. Turned away again. Beyond fed up.

Discustard · 12/12/2021 14:24

I am under 40, no additional health stuff, and 4.5 months since 2nd jab - I have been able to book mine since last night. Haven't done it yet since all venues are too far away.

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