To decline Covid Booster?

[8lbOfSugar]

I have an appointment for my covid booster and flu jab on 3rd Nov. Flu is routine due to being asthmatic and I don't mind getting that one. However I'm cautious about getting them both together. My Grandparents and a couple of friends have already had theirs and all of them have been knocked for 6 and had to stay in bed for 3ish days afterwards.

For context I've had minimal reaction to the previous jabs and the flu does make me ill for a period but I can go about my normal day with the symptoms. However I am now a lone parent to a newborn with very little support/childcare options so if it was to affect me being able to function normally then I have no one to step in to look after DS. GP are elderly and quite poorly, friends work and have their own families.

Am I allowed to decline the booster but still get my flu? Could I get the booster at a later date maybe? Has anyone had theirs recently and able to say how it affected them?

I’ve had my flu jab (nurse), but declined my Covid booster. I’ve had Covid twice, after having the jabs three times, and both times I was quite poorly with it but I don’t feel getting the Covid booster again would be the right thing for me.

You can get the flu jab separately at many pharmacies. You fill in a form saying you're entitled to it free and then they claim the money back from the NHS. You don't have to pay up front or anything.

whether or not your surgery will have the Covid booster available separately or at a later time, I couldn't tell you. My mum is having hers separately I think.

edit - so you should be able to tell your surgery you only want one but I don't know what happens to the other one if you want it later.

I had both last week. I had mild flu-like symptoms for around 24 hours but nothing that stopped me going about my normal routine. Didn’t even have a sore arm. HTH

If you're asthmatic then getting COVID is to be avoided, it has more lung impacts than flu.

I had both my flu and covid jab 2 days ago ( one on each arm) apart from a slightly sore arm where I had the covid jab for a few hours I have been fine with no side effects.

You can get them separately. When you book a COVID jab it asks if you want to also book a flu one and you can just hit no.

I prefer to do them together as every vaccine for everything I've ever had lands me in bed for a day so I'd rather load up and get it out the way.

In all honesty I'd stagger them and I'd get the covid one first. It's doing the rounds again and it's horrendous

I had my Covid jab last week and then the flu jab yesterday. It’s easier to find a pharmacy doing the flu jab. I’ve just been tired and had achy arms and mild temperature this time. Previously I was flat out. Rather this though than getting flu or Covid again.

You can book the COVID one alone using the online booking system.

I had both together in the same arm (an inch apart). I'd probably have them separately in future. I wasn't laid up in bed, I just felt off colour - but could have been coincidence.

I refused he covid booster after having a not very nice reaction to the last one.
I am an oldie pensioner and have COPD so this was not taken lightly

Don't worry @8lbOfSugar Just have them both close together. Some people I know have. A couple of people I know had them on the same day. I had them 4 days apart.

We were ALL OK by the way.

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I always book them at least a week apart.

How easy would it be for you to look after a newborn on your own with Covid and asthma?

I had both in the same arm a couple of weeks ago. No side effects apart from sore arm for a few days.

Had both yesterday. Today I feel okay but as though my muscles are all a bit weak — like I've suddenly become heavier, and it takes more effort to do things like standing up. But it's totally manageable, and IMO worth it to a) get them both over with and b) get protection from both illnesses as early as possible. But everyone will react differently.

Me too. No side effects. And until last year whenever I had the Covid jab I had to have a day in bed feeling awful. I got Covid last summer and since then the Covid jab doesn’t seem to affect me. When did you last have Covid and last have the Covid jab? If you’ve never been affected by it before why do you think it will affect you this time? It does mean both arms are sore but that’s it!

I had the Covid booster last week but asked if I could separate them. No problem to book and go back for flu anytime. I normally don't have any reaction to either but had a headache and slight fever this time, which was easily treated with paracetamol. Glad I didn't have both.

I am probably at least twice your age, and last week had covid and flu at same time, one in each arm, then six days later Shingles jab. No reaction to any of them. I give thanks every day that we can now be protected from the worst effects of some horrible illnesses. Split them up if you are really worried, but hundreds of thousands of folks have them together without problems. Hope things go well🙂

Has both together last week. A bit tired that evening. Fine otherwise. You don't have to have a covid booster at all, or you can book them separately. Up to you.

If I'm honest the flu jab regularly makes me ill for about 1-2 weeks anyways to the point where I can't lie down without choking with coughing so I need to sleep sitting up as it seems to trigger some asthma reaction. It happens every year at exactly the same time my review and jab is due for the same length of time so I'm used to being able to manage that. It's just that paired with the symptoms people I know are saying they've had after having it at the same time as the covid booster that I don't know how ill be able to manage. Though I've not had to deal with the pressures of a newborn either during these bouts of reaction so I could be being dramatic.

Both jabs are already booked in so I'm not sure how easy it would be to reschedule one of them, especially since its already to get any sort of appointment with the doctors anyways.

I had both together. Only issue I had was one arm hurt like hell for a couple of days afterwards, but other than that I was business as usual just a smidge slower. I had the jab with my parent, they had no side effects at all.

I'm also assuming that nothing from these jabs can be passed on to my baby? Or would that give them a slight bit of immunity through BF? (That probably sounds like a really dumb question sorry)

Why would the flu jab give you an asthmatic reaction? If it does you need to go to the doctor to understand why as you may have some kind of allergy. It’s not at all normal to be unwell for 2 weeks after it. Ditto Covid.

Yes @8lbOfSugar those reactions to the jabs don't sound remotely normal. I have zero reaction to them. (Covid and flu jabs.)

I had the flu jab a week ago and refused the Covid. Thank goodness I did, as the flu jab was rather violently administered, my arm swelled up and I had to go to the GP a couple of days later as there was a hot red patch on my arm, which was growing. Have to take antibiotics for it. I won't be having a flu or covid jab again.