Humira and Covid Booster Jab

[TBC99]

If you are on Humira, have you been eligible for your Covid booster?

I went to my GP surgery today expecting to get flu and covid jabs but was told I'm not eligible for the covid one, after a lengthy and repetitive explanation that the age criteria have changed which i already knew

I'll contact the rheumatologist next week, but just wondered what other's experience has been

Is it a long term immunosuppressant?
www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/

I'm on methotrexate and had mine at the GP today. Not sure but I'll would have thought Humira would put you in the same category.

Thanks for this @SpackelFrog. Yes, it is.

I'm pretty sure I am @WellyBellyBoo but the HCP had a very blank 'computer says no' face so that was that. It was frustrating to be honest

I’m on Adalimumab too (brand names: Humira, Yuflyma, Imraldi etc.) It’s a biologic injected every x2 weeks, specifically a TNFa blocker / TNF receptor immunosuppressant drug.

My GP surgery has been unimpressive over my eligibility for a Covid booster. We have had same discussion every fecking year.

The rules are in the ‘Green Book’ and the GP surgery should be following it and coding me properly, especially as I’ve been happy to engage. Repeatedly.

I also had to fight (metaphorically) for my Shingrix jabs too.

Anyway, I get my covid jabs at my local pharmacy now. I tell them I’m immunocompromised.

I’m on sulfasalazine and got invited for a Covid jab …

I’m on Humira plus a couple of other medications for arthritis, and I’m eligible for the Covid booster due to that (I’m in my 40s). However I’m not eligible for the free flu vaccine, which is puzzling.

My daughter is on adalimumab and has just been invited for COVID and flu vaccines. (We won't bother with COVID though).

I'm on adalimumab and have had my COVID and flu boosters. Id definitely check with your rheumatologist, I would have thought it would be the same criteria countrywide

It is the same criteria countrywide (England, that is - as per the ‘Green Book’ on vaccine eligibility), but some GP surgeries aren’t coding patients correctly unfortunately.

It’s really frustrating.

I'm on Adalimumab, but also Methotrexate and Sulphasalazine, and got my flu jab from my GP the other day. I've also had NHS texts to book COVID at a pharmacy. I think I had shingles jab with flu jab at the GP last year - it was some other one I wasn't expecting anyway!

Ok, thanks everyone, this is helpful. It's comforting to know that I'm not on my own with these frustrations. I just felt so flipping patronised today. I get it that they must be getting some grief from people who are no longer eligible owing to the change in criteria, but she just wasn't listening to me and it felt as if she thought I was trying to pull a fast one. She informed me that she is no longer eligible as an HCP, which I already knew, being one myself (retired but still working for the NHS) Not quite sure what the point was there.

I qualify for shingles and flu jabs on age criteria but clearly have dropped off the list for covid. My rheumatologist is at a large hospital out of my local area and communication is not the best between her and GP, though she was great at liaising with my local oncologist when i was having chemo for breast cancer a few years ago. She writes a letter after my anmual review, but i doubt anyone reads it. I'm not sure my GP even knows I'm on Humira as he's not involved in the prescribing or monitoring. And I've given up having local bloods done annually as it proved impossible to have the results communicated to the specialist. A 2 hour round trip for a 10 minute bloods appointment is easier.

Ill make a phonecall to rheumatology next week to get their input. Might blow the GP mind and see if I can get a recommendation for a pneumonia jab as well 😆

Thanks again all 🥰

OP, have you never had a pneumonia jab?!

You’re supposed to have the one-off jab before you even start on Adalimumab (Humira).

No, I haven't. Been on it probs 10 years now and it's never been mentioned.

I get all of the jabs as a result of being on biologics. I did have to explain to the nurse about the shingles one as she wasn't sure what box to tick and the helpful letter from the rheumatologist explaining it on the system seemed to elude her.

Always found it harder to get DP's vaccinations as being a carer meant he was eligible for flu/covid but some pharmacists interpreted that as having to be in receipt of Carers' Allowance.

Crikey, OP. That’s not the protocol.

Did you at least have blood tests to check that you didn’t have TB, Hepatitis, HIV, before you started injections?

(Your rheumatologist is an NHS doctor, in the UK (England?), I’m assuming.)

ETA replying to @NeverDropYourMooncup!

Luckily the Gov.UK website is very clear this year that the flu jab is available in October for all carers.

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/09/01/your-guide-to-whos-eligible-for-the-autumn-2025-flu-vaccine/

Yet not the covid booster, it seems, from looking at the eligibility for that?

DP is going to ask when we get our flu jabs next week at the pharmacy, but we don’t think he’s going to be given the covid jab this year.

For everyone on Adalimumab biologic injections (Humira), here is the Green Book, the ‘bible’ of vaccination schedules for the NHS.

The key table is at the bottom of p24, and the matching text for Autumn 2025 is on p32.

Adalimum is a TNFa Blocker. It says so in the leaflets that are in the box of injections; and is, indeed, a medical fact.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b5be03536d629f9c82a97d/Green-book-chapter-COVID-19_1_9_25.pdf

It's a long time ago, but yes, Im pretty sure I did have all of those blood tests.
Yes, UK NHS.
Ill definitely ask about the pneumonia jab when I call the team next week.

Brilliant, thank you 🥰

We had this for DH just use the booking online website and go to a local pharmacy. Easier than the GP

I work in immunisations. Look up the green book COVID 19 chapter. Only eligible if you meet criteria for the immunosupressed category. None of the others count which I find frustrating. In Scotland you get COVID and flu. If you are 50plus you will get 2 doses of shingles and it's the inactive one shingrix not the live one off dose of zostavax. You will also get called for a one off dose of pneumococcal. There are a small number of people who will get a booster dose after 5 years. It's all done through coding at the GP practice.

If you aren't called. Speak to your consultant or specialist nurse and ask to be referred for it to the vaccination team.

Hope this helps.

I got got it recently for being on Methotrexate . I’m hopefully going to start Adalimumab, so I should be getting the shingles vaccine soon ? I’ve had the pneumonia one.

Apologies OP for asking on your thread.

If you are 50plus your team can refer you in for it. In Scotland all vaccines are now undertaken by vaccination teams to try and have a consistent service and free up GPs. Each area does work slightly differently but you might get called next year. Currently in my area we are only doing COVID and flu until new year with immunosupressed being referred to our hospital based clinics as we have nurses specifically trained to undertake these.vaccines.

I'm 67 and on hydroxychloroquine, sulphasalazine and just started methotrexate. I've had all the boosters so far and I'm booked for tomorrow. I usually book via the app at a pharmacy. I've had an email warning me that the rules have changed and I may not be eligible. I had already checked the criteria and I think I am.

I had the pneumonia one years ago because of a lung condition.

@Seaitoverthere Shingles is a much higher bar of immunosuppression in England than the covid vax, I don't think I'm eligible until I am 70. I've looked at paying for it but it's £200 a go.

You are eligible, most people on adulimubab are also on methotrexate, which is under GP control and why GPs stick them on the lists. The biologics are under hospital control and often GP is out of the loop a bit or code you wrongly as you aren't getting anything from them. Make sure your GP is doing the correct blood monitoring and things as well.