Is anyone else having issues accessing a vaccine appointment? Following the decision to bring forward the start of the campaign for the immunocompromised to 11 September, I’d hoped to access an appointment in the next week or two, but my GP only has appointments at the end of October as it was before the start date was brought forward. Just wondered if anyone else has had the same experience or if it’s a more local issue!
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My GP has just announced Covid appointments will start 30th Sept and to use the online NHS Booking Service (England) which is due to re-open 18 Sept to make the appointments
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Hi @CosmicHobo very personally I think just give everyone time.
My GP surgery said they were all planning for October and suddenly the date is brought forward.
There is so much planning for the surgery or pharmacist to do and behind the scenes as well.
They have to have supplies of the vaccine, staff to give it, access for patients etc. etc.
While staff are vaccinating they are not seeing patients or doing their day jobs, I could go on (and the surgery did)
We await, I think, I am sure we will get vaccinated.
I hope this helps a bit, look after yourself
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Yes, I think there’s truth in what you say, Erica. That said, my GP practice isn’t expecting to receive supplies until October according to their latest update, but we do know that these situations can change quickly. I guess I was hoping to be jabbed in the next couple of weeks as I’ll be at a conference at the end of the month where I’d feel much happier having been boosted again!
@CaroleCW Good to know the online booking service will re-open, I hadn’t seen anything to indicate that and figured it would end up being via the GP practice (who are not always quite on the ball!), that’ll likely let me cast the net wider for a suitable appointment.
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@CosmicHobo Yes that’s my plan too , often local pharmacies are in the NHS online system as well as my GP so I just pick the date & location I prefer
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NHS website has opened today , 18th Sept, for online booking (if you are in England) . Just logged on and got a slot for next Wednesday at a pharmacy near me for me and my hubby (although under 65, he could also book due to my immunocompromised status). Here is the link for anyone wanting to book, have your NHS number to hand .
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Thanks @CaroleCW for looking after us all.
I have booked mine at my surgery.
Take care
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Hi @CosmicHobo ,
Yes I’m having trouble booking but it’s because I only have monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS). I don’t know if anyone can shed any light on this? I had a letter recently to say I was eligible for antivirals if I catch it but when I called my GP yesterday they said I am not eligible for a COVID booster?!?
My husband booked yesterday as he got an NHS text inviting him, and he has no health conditions. I’ve been invited for a flu jab but he can’t get one on the NHS and will pay for one. We are both at the same GP.
Surely it’s better to prevent disease that to treat it?
I’ll try and find a chemist where I can pay for one.
Confused of Leicestershire.
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Hi @AllyBally confused you will be, hold fire and I will copy your post to the Blood Cancer UK nurses @BloodCancerUK_Nurses Look after yourselves
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Thanks @Erica ,
As usual you are first to the rescue 
xx
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Is the Covid vaccine safe for those who are taking Gilterintinib for Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) FLT3
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Hi @Stuart52 A great big welcome to our forum and a very good question.
Perhaps it is best asked of your specialist nurse, if you have one, your consultant or GP who really know your whole medical history and know you best…
Please do let us know what they say and really look after yourself.
Hi AllyBally,
I have monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS). I have had no problem in booking a Covid 19 jab appointment. The problem can arise when the vaccinator runs through the checks. It depends entirely on their interpretation of the guidance. In Spring I got an nhs invite and booked an appointment and was refused. I made a second appointment and this second vaccinator looked up monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) on their computer and concluded I was eligible by nature of the disease. I hope this helps. I have booked my next covid jab for 30th.
Helen
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Does anyone know if you need a minimum three months since your last jab?
Is the NHS sending out invites this time?
Helen
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Thanks @helenfwallace ,
Yes it seems it’s all very random depending who you talk to and where you live.
I’ve used @Erica 's advice of being gently assertive 
and asked my GP practice to confirm. It’s being pushed up to our nurse manager, so we’ll see what’s said. She was also confused because I had received a letter from the NHS to say that my ‘condition’ makes me eligible for anti viral medication if I get COVID…I’d rather not get it again as I have had it twice and poorly for weeks afterwards.
Thanks for your comments.
Alex x
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Hi @AllyBally
I am little confused by the advice you received concerning anti virals. I understood that monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) was specifically excluded. But then, government advice is constantly changing. It took me yonks to clear Covid. I didn’t need to be admitted to hospital but at the same time I wasnt clearing it. So I definitely do not want to catch it again.
Best wishes
Helen
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Yes 3 months per the NHS website. I am based in England, I got an invite a few days ago via a message in my NHS app (first time an invite has come via this method but my GP has recently switched over to using the NHS app messaging system). If in England, you don’t actually need to wait for an invite and can book directly on the NHS website or app.
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Hi @CaroleCW
Thanks for the info, I may need to move my appointment then.
How is your ankle mending?
Best wishes
Helen
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@helenfwallace thanks for asking about my ankle. It’s been a long slog (and physio) getting it back to full function but just in the past 2 weeks, it seems to have really turned a corner and I am no longer getting pain or twinges in it. I challenged myself yesterday to do the same 4 mile walk I had done the morning of the day I broke it as it was pretty much 6 months to the day I broke it. , and managed it, hooray!
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Hello @Stuart52
Welcome to the Forum and Thank you for posting your question.
I hope all is going well with your treatment.
Do you mind me asking if you have had a letter or text to invite you for your vaccine? This seems to be different for everyone.
We have lots of covid information on our website, this page is particularly helpful: vaccinesandcancertreatment - not sure if you have looked at this already.
The answer is yes, a patient with FLT3 mutated Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), on Gilteritinib can have covid vaccines. They are not live vaccines, which can be the worry with some other vaccines.
As our webpage says, it is always best to discuss any vaccines with your Haematology team though, as they may want to check your recent blood counts first.
Do let us know if you have any difficult booking or getting the vaccine.
Best wishes, Heidi.
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