Yesterday I went to have my Covid booster jab after already having my 2 initial jabs some time ago and receiving the letter saying I was now entitled to have the booster.
So on arrival at the field hospital set up in Swansea for covid booster jabs I was directed to a booth to get the booster jab, i showed the letter to a nurse and she took my details, all good so far, however when the nurse asked how I was after the first 2 jabs ,and I explained that I was good on the 2nd but the 1st one seemed to flare up my MS for a day or two, she immediately pulled away from giving the booster, saying that people with MS are given 3 jabs before the booster ?
I explained that I had received the letter offering the booster after my 2 jabs so all must be ok, but she was adamant that MS’ers have 3 then the booster, so off she went to seek advice, a few minutes later she returned with a colleague who also said we (MS’ers) must have 3 jabs before the booster ?
I’ve also spoken with my sister who has MS, and she confirmed that she had her booster after 3 initial jabs.
So basically I was turned away, even though I had received the letter for a booster.
I’m now waiting for my MS nurse to call me back to find out what is going on.
Ive also rang the booster helpline and was told they will ring back once they can get more info.
Just wondering if it’s the norm to have 3 jabs before the booster ?
I think you only get a third jab if you’re immune compromised. You get the third jab then you’re eligible for the booster. I’m not immune compromised so I got my booster a couple of weeks ago after 2 initial jabs.
Best of luck in getting sorted.
Thats what I’m thinking, my sister is on immune suppressing treatment, but not me.
It’s fairly obvious from my experience yesterday that theres a bit of confusion when it comes to having the booster and how the NHS are dealing with people with MS.
I only had 2 jabs then the booster. I think Moirah is correct, if immune compromised, then 3 jabs would be necessary. The nurse probably came across someone who needed 3 jabs then booster and assumed it applied to everyone with MS. I can understand why the nurse was confused, the rules all seem a bit complex.
I think some medical technicians (IE not MS specialists) think that MS is synonymous with a suppressed immune system. We can’t blame them for being cautious, if they got it wrong and someone got very ill loads of people would be jumping up and down.
However I do sympathise with your frustration.
Mick
I have never heard about having MS mean 3 jabs before booster ! With both jabs i have said i have MS and no one ( nurse has said anything to me )
Now i am typing this out, its making me think that because i booked the vaccines through the NHS app, would their information indicate im not immune compromised and so i could go ahead and book the vaccines !
I dunno, im just guessing.
So i have had 2 vaccines … no side effects.
Booster … whoaaaaaa terrible side effects, BUT i live to tell the tale.
Alllll these jabs we are having make me think… what are the effects to our MS ? Because ive had covid ( after 2 vaccines !!!) which floored me for a good 4 weeks. Then the booster jab knocked me sideways… NOW we have to have another vaccine !!
I am convinced its because they are mixing oil with water. AZ is not the same as pfizer or moderna so your auto immune is faced with a new challenge. My sister in law is still ill with her moderna.
she has diabetes. I am decling my booster for now. I dont go out. If i have the vax and it makes me ill i cant look after my animals. Besides i think pfizer is a P TAKE the amount of money their lab is making per second on each jab.
Now ENTER Omicron. A lot of cases they are finding people are double and triple vaxxed. So welcome stage left a new vaccine I expect. oh the joys of living in a pandemic.
Had my Booster after the initial 2 jabs…How is a third jab any different from a booster jab? It’s exactly the same aprt from name and delay before you can have a 3rd/booster.
I’d recently had a course of steriods and the nurse had to check if I was ok to have the booster. They asked why I’d had the steriods for and why. I got the booster without issues and no you have MS you can’t get the booster til you’ve had 3 jabs rubbish.
If they had tried that I’d had demanded they give me my 3rd jab because it’s long over due and they wouldn’t give me the booster till 3 months after I had my last Covid jab. If I should have got a 3rd jab but they wouldn’t give me another until 3 months after my last what wam I supposed to do. Same vial of a Covid Vaccine, the only difference is how they label it’s use. Bout time those that make up the rules ensure those involoved in enforcing those rules know about all the changes.
Even after a 3rd course of Lemtrada nothing was said about needing a 3rd jab.
because if you had astra zeneca you wont get a third jab of it but either moderna or pfizer. so it would be different as technically speaking you would have 3 astra zenecas.
Oh, that’s really annoying. I was turned away from my booster jab too, but only because I had turned up on the wrong day like an idiot! From the start, there has been confusion about whether we MSers qualified as clinically vulnerable, or just fell into the lower-order ‘underlying health conditions’ odds and sods category. In fact it can be either - it just depends on personal circs, meds and vulnerabilities. As I understand it, if you didn’t get a shielding letter, you’re in the latter category, as are most of us, and it’s 2 jabs and a booster. Which I have now had, I’m glad to say, having finally managed to turn up on the right day. I hope you get yours very soon.
That’d would make sense if it was but in practice that way.
I had both Astra and then the Pfizer booster,
1 of my parents had both Astra like me and the Pfizer as a booster.
1 parent had 1 Pfizer and 1 Astra and then had the Pfizer as their booster.
My Aunt who also has MS had 1 jab of Pfizer and one of Astra then got a Pfizer Booster.
So will what you say makes sense it isn’t always the case. Whether thats screwups with jab staff or booking staff or just the govenment swapping and changing their plans.
So bit of an update.
After ringing around all day yesterday trying to find out if/when I can get a booster I had a call back from the booster booking line and was offered to go back to the hospital and have the booster, which I had last night.
There does seem to be a bit of confusion in regards to immune suppressing medication and MS, in that some nurses tend to think that when you tell them that you have MS you automatically have 3 jabs before the booster as you will taking immune suppressing medication.
Which as we MS’ers know isn’t always the case.
When I returned last night for the booster I mentioned the MS and my 2 previous jabs but this time the nurse didn’t even look up and just stuck it in me.
The lady that rang me back from the boosting booking line said that it does seem to be if your are on immune suppressing drugs you must have 3 jabs before the booster.
Apparently this is to build up your antibodies to a level that the booster wont hit you as hard, but she said it does seem to be causing a bit of confusion.
I also asked if the booster had to be the same type as the previous 2 or 3 jabs, and, the answer I was given was that boosters are either going to be the Moderna or the Pfizer, the Astra/Zenaca is not used as a booster ?
Apparently either of these is ok with the Astra/Zenaca initial jabs.
This morning I feel like I’ve got a bit of an headcold, a bit achy all over, headache and just generally under the weather.
One more update.
MS clinic have rang me back and they also said that anyone with MS who is taking immune suppressing medication should be having 3 jabs before opting for the booster.
So it seems as though the first nurse was correct but theres a lack of or poor communication surrounding the booster jab and the number of initial jab(s), in regards to people with MS, their type of MS and the medication taking for MS.
I think it’s something to do with sero conversion, the development of antibodies. If you’re on an immune suppressing drug, you can’t make the antibodies you need to fight the virus. So having a 3rd dose of the vaccine is designed to give you a fighting chance of developing antibodies. Only then will a booster do any good. You can’t ‘boost’ antibody creation if you have none in the first place.
The nurses don’t stand a chance really of understanding all medical conditions, all drug therapies and their relationship to the vaccines. So I’m sure you’re right, it’s not the fault of the individual.
The third jab, as opposed to the booster jab is for those who are immunocompromised. It is the same dose as the first two jabs. The booster is a lower dose than the first two jabs (half dosage if I remember correctly).
I think this is why you can’t get them done at the same place on the same day as they’ve only been issued either the booster strength or the 3rd vaccine strength.
The Astra Zeneca is not being used as a booster. The reason being that they think / or thought that it was losing its antibody levels faster than Pfizer or Moderna, and was less effective against the Delta variant. However the T cell immunity, which is the longer lasting immunity seems to be pretty good with Astra Zeneca, seems it may actually be better than Pfizer and Moderna.
The countries that have not used AZ but only used Pfizer and Moderna appear to be having higher hospitalisations of vaccinated people than the UK, and there is the suggestion, if this is true that AZ is actually pretty good (better) due to the T-cell levels it promotes.
Antibodies react faster to infection than T cells, so are a bit quicker at tackling the virus initially. They can only work outside the cells however. T cells are the much stronger and more effective defence as they can attack within cells - so can attack the virus that has penetrated cells.
This article might be of interest. And raises the question and makes a suggestion as to why the focus has been so much on antibodies rather than T cells … interesting!
my daughter was told that they are using pfizer because of the issue with blood clots on women who are on the pill. errrr i am 70. there are as many cases of blood clots now with pfizer as with AZ.
I think the vaccination overall has become a shambles. Pushing people to have jabs. Surely my booster would be best served to those who havent even be jabbed yet? Quite a lot havent had a vaccine yet in the UK.
I dont go out and i test once a week when i have had people here. I have friends who are triple vaccinated and now testing positive for covid. my SIL is still ill with her booster of moderna.
I cannot see why i cant have AZ. I have checked figures on line to NHS and AZ efficay is as good as pfizers.
I have a right to decide. IF i was going out and living a normal life i wouldnt hesitate. the booster is known to floor people.
I had my double vaccine only six months ago. Now the scientists are saying the new variant omicron (all greek to me) wont be affective with our vaccinations.
There are no screw ups just misinformation and a lack of trust. If the medical centre were open and honest and explained it would be different. Its one says this and the other says that. COS NO ONE KNOWS what they are beeping talking about.
