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Original poster

DH got booster problems booking 4th dose

27 replies

Tomeeornottomee · 04/03/2022 21:21

DH is severely immunosuppressed and was told by his nurse specialist to get a 3rd dose back in October before he started new meds. Called GP surgery and receptionist told me that it was the booster he needed. So he got the booster. Now having issues getting him his 4th dose because he hasn’t had invitation letter. Been waiting 2 days for practice manager to get back to me about it. No one seems to know what happens now. Hoping Someone on here can give me some advice

OP posts:
topcat2014 · 04/03/2022 21:24

I got mine at a walk in on the basis of having received a text message

(Immunosuppressive too)

Wellbythebloodyhell · 04/03/2022 21:35

If he can take some proof of his immuno suppressive illness or take his immuno suppressive medication with him to a walk in they should do it.
At the vaccine centre I work in we never decline anyone an appointment who tells us they fall into the eligibility criteria for a 4th dose as we're not medically trained but we do stress that the clinical lead or vaccinator will ask more questions to assess eligibility and to take as much info regarding their condition as possible if they do not have any formal invitation from their GP or consultant

Cookerhood · 04/03/2022 22:03

Yes, same as Wllbythe. Has he got a letter from his consultant saying he should have the third primary?
The booster is the same as the third dose unless it's Moderna (Moderna is half dose for booster, full dose for third dose). The computer has it recorded as a booster as there was no other way of doing it.

Original poster
Tomeeornottomee · 04/03/2022 22:20

No he doesn’t have a letter. And he hasnt had a text. We have got letters from consultant detailing his condition and meds. He seems to have fallen through some sort of loophole with the whole vaccine issue. We had to jump through hoops to get him his first jab because for some reason he wasn’t sent a”come for your jab” letter. even though he had been getting the ECV letters all the way through lockdown and GP & consultant were just as confused as we were. That’s why we’ve had issues. I think I’ll call the hospital on Monday and see if he can get one sent to him from consultants secretary. His first 2 jabs were AstraZeneca then he had the Pfizer as his booster but he’s now in biologics as well as still being on a high dose of immunosuppressive meds and has just finished a course of prednisonole in January.

OP posts:
Wellbythebloodyhell · 04/03/2022 22:44

We have got letters from consultant detailing his condition and meds.
That should be sufficient enough at a walk in, taking the immunosuppressive meds he's on at the moment should also help

Schlerp · 04/03/2022 22:49

I think there needs to be 6 months between booster doses which would mean he’d be eligible in April. Maybe he’ll get a letter nearer the time?
If he has only had three primary doses then he can get his booster after 12 weeks. I guess you need to be sure about what the third vaccination was.

Scorchedterf · 04/03/2022 22:51

I went to a walk in centre early morning when it was quiet. I had an email on my phone from last September saying I’m CEV and proof of my immunity suppress medication. It was checked several times and I had to forward on my email. And then I got the 4th jab.

AncientofMuMu · 04/03/2022 22:57

I got a letter saying I needed a third dose (I'm on immunosuppressants) back in October, surely went along for it, had it no problems and they said to wait three months before having the booster. I went to get the booster in January to be told I'd already had it. I explained and they told me that the system hadn't been set up for those of us that needed a third dose when I went for it (and made out it was my fault for going for it too early Hmm) so they'd put it down as a booster at the time in the absence of another option. so now the system wouldn't let them give me a booster because it thinks I've already had one.
They said I'd need to go down to the hospital and get it straightened out but I really don't have time because I know it'll take hours so tbh I'm not going to bother.

I don't know if that's what's causing the issue for others? If the system wasn't set up for the third dose people, wtf were they sending us letters for?!

Wellbythebloodyhell · 04/03/2022 23:04

@AncientofMuMu that is very strange as 3rd doses were logged as boosters, but there's nothing stopping an additional booster (4th dose) being added assuming the patient is eligible of course I'd try a different vaccine centre if that's possible

Cookerhood · 05/03/2022 09:09

Yes they've updated the computer now to allow for more doses. Try again.

Snowiscoldy · 05/03/2022 09:09

We had this problem. As someone said above it’s because the government never paid to alter the system to allow the imputing of a third dose rather than a booster. No amount of talking to the receptionists got us anywhere. We had to speak directly to a dr. In fact we wrote a letter the first time which seemed to get things moving because there was then a paper trail to answer to. The second time I spoke with the Dr directly and they sorted it out. He was really on it but also he said not to blame anyone because the computer system just doesn’t allow anyone to input anything different.

Original poster
Tomeeornottomee · 05/03/2022 11:10

@Schlerp it’s saying 91 days on the booking system. Which for DH would have been mid feb.
It’s annoying me now because as usual people in his position are being left to sort it out instead of actually being considered by the government.
As far as I can work out he will need a 3rd AstraZeneca to get things as they should be? But are vaccine centres even giving out the AZ anymore?

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 05/03/2022 11:27

Why would he need a third AZ? They have only been given in very limited circumstances. He should easily be able to get a fourth dose (& it could be Pfizer or Moderna) by going to a walk in. Or call 119, they can probably book him in somewhere. Just take some kind of proof (letters, prescriptions etc etc).

nodogz · 05/03/2022 11:56

It's a chuffing joke. You get a gov letter telling you to book your fourth dose but no way to book the dose. It says speak to a GP or consultant but who can do that? I haven't seen my consultant since nov 2019 and had one catch up telephone call a year later!

Once again CEV get screwed over by this gov. It's so clear it just wasn't considered during the planning.

I'm sure your GP will sort eventually but it's just another hassle for them and for you.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 05/03/2022 12:13

@Tomeeornottomee he doesn't need a 3rd AZ (unless of course he has allergies that mean Pfizer or Moderna are unsuitable) he can have any vaccine thats available. Honestly I think your making this more complicated than it actually is, you've been told by many posters now just to go to a walk in with his medication/ condition information and he should be vaccinated no problem if his condition deems him eligible

Wellbythebloodyhell · 05/03/2022 12:15

You get a gov letter telling you to book your fourth dose but no way to book the dose.

Once again take that letter with you to any walk in clinic and there should be no issue at vaccinating you

Severntrent · 05/03/2022 12:18

You can book it online and take evidence of your medication to the appt. Or go to a walk in. Walk in centres should make sure he doesnt wait in a busy area.
He doesnt need 3 AZs. The 3rd dose and booster should be pfizer or moderna.

yikesanotherbooboo · 05/03/2022 12:19

DC3 was logged as booster for his third dose but as per a previous poster had no problem getting his fourth by explaining at a walk in centre. The booking system might be less adaptable. Your DH's consultant should have put the mechanism into play whereby he is on a list to receive the text.Has he been contacted as regards having a named PCR so that he can get early treatment if he catches covid? If he has then somewhere along the line he should be on a list. Either way , as well as speaking to consultant's secretary he should email the GP practice manager to explain that he has been overlooked.They might be able to help.

yikesanotherbooboo · 05/03/2022 12:23

He would only need AZ if there is a medical reason why he can't have Pfizer or Moderna.Almost all boosters are one of these two as they are more effective for the more recent variants.if he has a medical reason why he can't have them he will have to do battle with the surgery again to get a letter to go to a special centre for the AZ.

Original poster
Tomeeornottomee · 05/03/2022 12:40

I was assuming he would need his next vaccine to be AZ. Because his first 2 were. It’s all very well telling me I’m over complicating it, but I’m just going on what the advice seems to be online. As in if you have had 3 primary doses of one vaccine you now need the booster to be of a different type. As I’ve already mentioned twice up thread he HASNT had a letter, but the GP surgery has looked at his file and said that he should have.
I’m going to suggest to him that we go to a walk-in with his meds and letter but he will be wary of doing that because we’ve barely left the house in 2 years and he’s frightened of catching covid. We’ve lost 3 relatives to covid in the last year and his worsening condition means that it’s much easier to work out timings if he has an actual appointment rather than just chipping up somewhere and waiting.

OP posts:
Spaghag · 05/03/2022 12:47

It sounds as though his third dose was incorrectly coded on the central system (Pinnacle) as a booster. This has lead to him not having been invited for the fourth dose as the fourth dose is the booster for people requiring three primary doses - and the computer says booster already given.

Totally agree with advice from PPs, a hospital letter detailing his condition & proof of his immunosuppression taken to a walk in centre should do the trick.

Best of luck.

Spaghag · 05/03/2022 12:48

Sorry - just read re preferring a timed appointment. In my experience the walk in centres are not that busy anymore, but you could phone ahead to ask what their quietest time of day is?

Cookerhood · 05/03/2022 12:51

You can still only record 3rd, 4th doses or whatever as booster, it's not incorrectly coded, it's what Pinnacle does.
Good luck , OP. Whatever you've seen on line, you don't need a different booster.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 05/03/2022 13:14

@Tomeeornottomee could you go down to the walk in clinic yourself explaining DH situation and take his medication etc and see what they say and ask them when their quieter times are so your DH at ease being around the least amount of people and knowing he will be able to get his vaccine without too much hassle. Good luck, I'm pretty certain you shouldn't encounter any problems

Original poster
Tomeeornottomee · 05/03/2022 14:29

@Wellbythebloodyhell that’s exactly what I did. DH waited in the car, I went in and it was empty! I explained the situation to the lovely people there, showed his letter from consultant and also took his meds box and answered all the questions. Went and got him they asked him if he was allergic to anything etc and stuck a Pfizer in his arm. Thanks to all for the info and advice and hope you all have a lovely weekend

OP posts: