NHS England has announced that you can now get your fourth dose (booster) at a walk-in vaccination centre if it’s been three months since your third dose.
If you had a letter from your doctor confirming your eligibility for the THIRD primary dose, you can use this letter at a vaccination centre to get your FOURTH booster dose too. If you haven’t got a letter, ask your doctor for one.
They also announced that a third primary vaccination dose for patients defined as severely immunosuppressed will be recorded in the Point of Care system as a “booster”, with the booster (fourth dose) recorded as a “second booster”.
You may also wish to take a copy of the attached “NHS England Cancer Programme FAQs for Charities” document from NHS England with you to the walk-in vaccination centre, as it outlines all of this information and it may aid in your conversations with staff.
I had the invite for fourth booster via nhstext from my hospital this week with accompanied attached letter. My 3 months is 30th December. The earliest I can have booster is 6th Jan
Hi, I am a lymphoma blood cancer patient. My third primary vaccine was given on the 8th of October. The JCVI advice at that time was to book it as a booster that would be updated on the NHS system at a later date. The NHS system has not been updated and I am due my booster vaccine on the 7th of January but I cannot book it. Just wondering if you were in the same position and how you got round it.
Hi @Margarett I am so glad that you have found us and by the sounds of it just at the right time.
I haven’t heard anything about my 4th vaccine yet and decided to leave it till the new year, mine is not due till the 9 Jan anyway.
I hope someone can help you and the Blood Cancer UK support line is there if you would like to talk someone (except bank holiday weekend and bank holidays).
I look forward to hearing more about you, stay safe
My fourth dose, three months after third, is due 12 January. Prefer to go to my GP practice as it’s local and I trust them. They’ve assured us to wait to be contacted as they know who we are, but aren’t always sure when supplies of vaccine are available! It seems we’re unable to use the official NHS booking site, but can go to a walk-in centre. Asked my hospital team (60-mile round trip, so last resort option) - they said to call if I have difficulty and can sort it out for me . . . still not very ‘joined up’, but at least in this little rural bit of Derbyshire, they all seem to know about 4th doses which is great!! Merry Christmas, everyone, and hoping for a better tale to tell at the end of 2022!
Same here, Margarett.
Your GP should know you’re due for a 4th dose, and the system has been updated so they can record it as ‘second booster’ to solve the problem ref. third doses being recorded as ‘booster’ when they didn’t update the system in September.
There’s a FAQ published by Blood Cancer UK: https://media.bloodcancer.org.uk/documents/NHS_Cancer_Programme_FAQs_for_charities.pdf
Relevant extract below:
“Q: NHS systems record third doses as a booster – is that a problem and could it prevent a patient from getting their vaccine?
A: A third primary vaccination dose for patients defined as severely immunosuppressed is recorded in the Point of Care system as a booster, with the booster (fourth dose) recorded as a second booster. The classification of a third dose does not preclude a patient from receiving a booster, nor will it impede access to any subsequent vaccinations they might require. Eligibility is based upon the patient being identified as severely immunosuppressed rather than on the number of vaccinations they have received. If a patient has been identified by a clinician as being eligible for a third primary dose or a booster dose, the Point of Care system will not be a barrier to vaccination.”
Hi Erica, thank you for your very kind words. It is so important for me to get my 4th jab on time as I already know that I have not produced Covid vaccine antibodies after my first three jabs. My household are part of an antibody study being carried out by the University College London in conjunction with the NHS. My husband and son both have vaccine antibodies but have not got any Covid antibodies so have never had the virus. I have none. The hope is that after my fourth dose I will then generate antibodies. At the moment with the Omicron variant my life is on hold again as I have gone back to shielding.
Hi beverleyanny, Thank you so much for the information. It is a relief to know that the system has been updated so that we can now get our boosters on time.
I hope you get some antibodies after your 4th jab. I had none after my first 2 but got some after my third. I had my 4th last Thursday so hopefully will now have more. I am currently sitting g on a sundowner in sunny Spain. I feel so much better in the heat Decided the risk of travelling was worth taking. Shame we are only here for a week.
Hi @ilivesunshine enjoy every minute in Spain and get some goodness into you.
I hope you are still planning your future breaks, I love hearing about them
Thank you. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can produce antibodies after my 4th jab. Rituximab seems to be the problem and I was on that for two and a half years. Enjoy your time in Spain.
Thanks Erica. We have had a super day today. A long walk by the sea this morning and relaxing in the sun this afternoon. We has a delicious lunch, prawns and brunette with a glass of beer. A complimentary Baileys arrived with the biil. I have had a paddle in the sea. Very refreshing. We don’t normally drink at home but enjoyed our pre dinner sangria. We feel quite safe with social distancing and everyone required to wear masks inside and outside
Am I correct in saying the only way to get the 4th jab (2nd Booster) is via a walk in centre if we are not contacted directly? This appears to be the only reference on the nhs website as it is not included in a vaccine that can be booked online. I do have a letter from the hospital to use at a walk in centre and have not received any details of how to book an appointment. 91 days from my third takes me to 3rd January.
I had a letter from my gp… As recommended by 119 by the way… And my 4th went v smoothly… Fast tracked through queue then I could do the 20mins waiting in the car with the proviso I should sound the horn if I felt peculiar. My 3rd was recorded as a booster. There wasn’t an alternative in September and my 4th also was recorded as a booster… They were surprised the computer allowed the two jabs to be recorded as booster. I have registered with the 119 records dept to put it all in order but it will be at least a month before that happens
Hi, I am due to have my 4th jab next week. I have spoken to a walk in centre that have confirmed that they can indeed book your vaccination as a second booster as long as you take your letter with you. You cannot book a fourth appointment online so at the moment this is the only way going forward. Hope you go on okay and keep well and safe.
Messaged my GP this morning and they said they had no booster clinics to book at the moment and to try 119. Lovely man at 119 who apologised and said he couldn’t book an appointment for me. He did say 2 walk in centres were open that i could try. I walked down to the nearest one but although the lights were on it was clearly closed. The other centre is in the town centre so I didn’t try that. None of the centres are now open until the 4th so I will try again then. Chaos of 3rd primary looks alive and kicking. Good luck everyone.
