Can't get my third jab

[TheVampiresWife]

Third full dose, as opposed to vaccine.

I started immunosuppressant drugs for my RA a few weeks ago and my rheumatologist wrote to my GP asking them to arrange my flu, pneumonia and third covid jabs. First two have been sorted but nobody seems to be able to help with the covid one. GP says it's nothing to do with them (exact words), can't book online, 119 says there's nothing they can do but wait for a text inviting me for my booster - no matter how many times I told them it's not a booster I need. Rheumatologist says to ask GP again but there's absolutely no point.

How does it work with third doses, how long after the second do they need to be, is that what the issue is? I know boosters are six months after the second, but are third doses 12 weeks like the the initial gap between doses? I had my second at the start of June. Do I need to push for it, and if so, who do I push?

It's doing my head in!

I'm in the same position

My consultant says I'm eligible due to immunosuppressant treatment, he's written to gp who says he can't add me to the list

I'm going to wait until the 6 months from 2nd jab which is 2nd nov then just go to a vaccine centre and show them the letter from consultant to say I need it and see if they can help

As a GP the most frustrating thing has been trying to sort out covid jags. We have had absolutely NO control over it for many cases such as patients moving into the area...in our system but not being uploaded onto the national system... whoever designed the software needs shooting!!!

Anyway in Lothian where I am the consultant sends a letter to the GP of CEV patients like you we then code them but also email somewhere (my practice administrator team do it) and that's how you get called... apparently...not sure if it works after the data leaves our practice 🙄.

The health board have also been really frustrated with the non NHS people sending out the flu/covid booster invites as they have been sending people all over the place instead of sending post code Xx to one place and postcode YY to another. So frustrating and our phonelines were jammed with complaints.

Sorry a bit waffly and it will be different all over the country.

You need to contact your hospital team, and see if they can book you anywhere.

If not then contact your CCG

Also, it's getting to the stage where it might be worth writing to your MP. The admin for this has been an utter debacle, and we are now 10 days after the second deadline

I had this exact situation. In spite of a NHS text and letter, the GP was clueless, hospital consultant referred me back to GP, 119 tried to be helpful but again referred me back to GP. GP said no boosters for under 70s (it is not a booster!)… and breathe….

Anyway, on advice of a MNetter I went to local vaccination centre (although not a walk-in), showed them my letter about the 3rd primary dose, they checked with the CCG and bob’s your uncle! Speared and now nursing a bit of a sore arm!

The third primary dose of the vaccine is for those who were immune compromised “at or around the time of their first or second dose”. It is not necessarily for those who are immune compromised right now.

It can be given from 8 weeks after the second dose.

Check chapter 14a, page 20 & 21, of The Green Book to see if you are actually eligible, via the criteria listed in the table. Link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a

Not all medical professionals are up to speed with this, even staff at vaccination sites. Remember that the criteria are to be read at the time of your first dose and/or second dose.

Examples:

A) Patient had IV chemotherapy starting in July 2020 and ending in January 2021. First dose of vaccine was February 2021 and second dose April 2021. They are not immune compromised now, as their chemotherapy finished more than six months ago. They are eligible for a third primary dose of vaccine as their first dose was less than six months after IV chemotherapy. They will then be likely to have a fourth dose six months after their third dose.

B) Patient had their first dose of vaccine in February 2021 and second dose in April 2021. They started IV chemotherapy in October. They are severely immune compromised right now. They are not eligible for a third primary dose as their first two doses were when their immune system was normal. They are eligible for a booster dose after six months from their second dose though, as they will fall into “underlying health condition” now.

Confusing isn’t it?!

My husband is going through exactly this. Consultant told him as immunosuppressed he should have the third vaccination but can’t book the bloody thing. Called doctor, brought down hospital letter, tried booking online but nothing, keep hitting a brick wall. It’s a shambles!

As I said, the only way I managed to get any joy was presenting myself in person at a vaccination centre - with the letter of course. Otherwise it was just round and round in circles - and at one point being told it was a scam text and letter!

@DottyHarmer

As I said, the only way I managed to get any joy was presenting myself in person at a vaccination centre - with the letter of course. Otherwise it was just round and round in circles - and at one point being told it was a scam text and letter!

This was exactly what my CEV DM did too. She couldn't book online, couldn't ring or anything so I saw on FB that people were just going to the local vaccination centre with the letter so she did that with her letter and had no issues.

I came on to say exactly what @RachC2021 posted.
Those in the group for 3rd dose were thought to have less immunity because of being immunosuppressed when the had 1st and 2nd doses and therefore the vaccine didn't work so well for them.
If you have only just started the immunosuppressive drugs you may not need it because you should have mounted a good response after the 2nd dose.
Of course if your specialist says you should then that's different.

In my case it's actually 6 months anyway since my 2nd dose but the NHS letter I received said if I'd already had a booster that would be treated as 3rd dose and I would get booster later.
I have also had covid but frankly I'll take as many doses as they will give me to avoid that again.

It's an absolute shitshow. I finally got my 3rd primary dose today after much drama but found out something bizarrely interesting.

Even when you get your 3rd primary vaccine (for being eligibly immune suppressed) the computer system has no way of recording it as anything other than a regular 3rd jab i.e. the general booster.

I know the 3rd primary vaccine is a booster in the sense that it is intended to (hopefully) boost my compromised immune system, but it is distinct from and separate to the general booster jab as Sajid Javid confirmed yesterday in his briefing. So I should have a 3rd and 4th jab in this scheme.

The computer system cannot acknowledge this. The issue was supposed to have been sorted out by now but it hasn't been.

Meanwhile vulnerable patients are being left to robustly tackle GP practices (which can really stressful) and/or schlep around vaccination centres with various bits of paperwork.

(I'd advise emailing Practice Managers btw copying in the JCVI guidelines and naming the immune-suppressant(s) you were on when you had your 1st and/or 2nd vaccine dose. Worked for me in the end, so they can deal with this if they want to. But I hate being pushy and it's frustrating and awkward when you're a vulnerable patient dependent on your GP practice's goodwill to a large extent.)

Can't wait till I try to get my 4th dose ... I imagine I'll be told there's no such thing or 'you've already had it'.

Same situation here. My DH got called for a booster this week even though he's not in any of the categories (he's mildly asthmatic but that's it). Meanwhile, I'm here on my immunosuppressants and not able to get another jab.

Dc1 had a letter from consultant that we were told to take to a walk in vaccination centre (as 119, gp and booking on line didn't work). This letter can also be used to get a second vacinne for children over 12 living with you (if you can find someone to give it to them!)

Same here. I've spent the last eighteen months fighting the system to get the treatment I needed and I just don't have the energy for this. I'm going to go and get my booster. Tell them it should be a third primary and hope that by the time my fourth dose is due they will have sorted out this shitshow. My kids are also supposed to be allowed get two doses of vaccine because of my status but nobody knows how to do that either. It's bloody annoying that javid tried to insinuate that people are coming forward for these doses!

Peuple are NOT coming forward I meant

I agree @SpindelWhorl that it is really awkward having to be pushy, as you really don’t want to be that patient. I could tell that the GP’s receptionist was getting irritated when I called back for the third time after going round the houses and the GP only said via her that there were no third doses only boosters . I don’t want to look like a mad woman!

The consultant and 119 tried to be helpful but again they didn’t know what I was wittering on about.

@Musicaltheatremum

As a GP the most frustrating thing has been trying to sort out covid jags. We have had absolutely NO control over it for many cases such as patients moving into the area...in our system but not being uploaded onto the national system... whoever designed the software needs shooting!!!

Anyway in Lothian where I am the consultant sends a letter to the GP of CEV patients like you we then code them but also email somewhere (my practice administrator team do it) and that's how you get called... apparently...not sure if it works after the data leaves our practice 🙄.

The health board have also been really frustrated with the non NHS people sending out the flu/covid booster invites as they have been sending people all over the place instead of sending post code Xx to one place and postcode YY to another. So frustrating and our phonelines were jammed with complaints.

Sorry a bit waffly and it will be different all over the country.

If you are in Scotland, can you not just go to a drop-in? I was taking my son and I was offered a booster and I am not even due mine! You can find out where the drop-ins are on the nhs inform website.

I also took my mum and brought my 13 year old daughter and they did her too.

Not sure if relevant for the OP as I’m in Wales but my consultant arranged it directly with the vaccination team. I got a (surprise!) phone call from the vaccination team to say I’d been referred.

I was taking my son and I was offered a booster and I am not even due mine!

OP I'd nit trying to get a booster thigh.

She needs a jab that will be correctiymrecordrd as a third primary

And also, if Moderna is a different dose

So glad I found this thread… got called for a third jab - by letter and text… booked appointment abs showed up and was questioned by the nurse about why I was “severely immune compromised”… said “I’m not sure to be honest”. (I have a number of ailments including asthma but she was questioning if I was a transplant or cancer survivor. As a result, she refused to jab me and I as told to contact my Gp to find out on what grounds I was immunocompromisied.

Called the GP and they have said they had nothing to do with the process and it was all determined by the vaccination team!

Dragged from pillar to post and a total shambles.

I wanted to throw something at the screen when I heard Javid's speech last night.

Vaccinations have been mighty difficult to obtain - firstly for people looking for the 3rd jab and secondly for 12-15s, who if they missed their school's appointment (which was often very short notice) for any reason, then they had no way of getting jabbed.

Begging people to get jabbed when they are actually trying to get jabbed is ridiculous.

Javid claimed a few weeks ago that the 'majority' of the third primary jabs had taken place/been booked, despite much evidence from charities representing affected patientngrouis to the contrary.

He has never shown on what figures he based that assertion, and there is some scepticism whether decent data even existed, given that there was at that time no way to input third primaries as a category into records. And I believe that even now they are still just going in as third jabs and there is to be a 'clean up' later on to assign third primaries correctly

I got this which I was amazed by as they missed me off the shielding list to start!
I'm permanently immunocompromised due to (likely) lifelong neutropenia

@Squidlydoo

So glad I found this thread… got called for a third jab - by letter and text… booked appointment abs showed up and was questioned by the nurse about why I was “severely immune compromised”… said “I’m not sure to be honest”. (I have a number of ailments including asthma but she was questioning if I was a transplant or cancer survivor. As a result, she refused to jab me and I as told to contact my Gp to find out on what grounds I was immunocompromisied.

Called the GP and they have said they had nothing to do with the process and it was all determined by the vaccination team!

Dragged from pillar to post and a total shambles.

Take a look at chapter 14a of The Green Book, pages 20 and 22 — you might be able to work out how you qualify.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a

Pages 20 and 21 even.