Covid booster

Cairnpapple

The best price for an individual vaccine that I have found locally is £85. However if you can get 5 people to share a Novavax vial it is only £40 per person, so some of our friends who live close together are trying to coordinate that. This is at the Dears Pharmacy chain in Scotland. 

Savvy_Sue

elsien said:

Criteria are here if anyone wants to look it up.
The short version
https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/26/whos-eligible-for-the-2025-covid-19-vaccine-or-autumn-booster/

and the full details

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/flu-and-covid-19-seasonal-vaccination-programme-autumn-winter-2025-26/

That's interesting. DH was given one with his flu jab the other day. He has asthma, among other things but not immuno-suppressed. But the pharmacy computer was down, so the pharmacist asked about his medication and decided he should have one.

QrizB

Albermarle said:

elsien said:

Only those who are immunosuppressed I think. 

Frontline health and social care staff are also no longer eligible. It’s been tightened up a lot.
I have to be honest, I’m struggling to see why frontline staff still get the flu jab but not the Covid one. 

I think it is because most Covid cases are now quite mild, whilst a proper dose of flu can be pretty horrible.

I had COVID last week.

One out of five stars. Would not recommend.

Murphybear

elsien said:

Only those who are immunosuppressed I think. 

Frontline health and social care staff are also no longer eligible. It’s been tightened up a lot.
I have to be honest, I’m struggling to see why frontline staff still get the flu jab but not the Covid one. 

I have type 2 diabetes and still get the jab.  I am 73 

jackieblack

Murphybear said:

elsien said:

Only those who are immunosuppressed I think. 

Frontline health and social care staff are also no longer eligible. It’s been tightened up a lot.
I have to be honest, I’m struggling to see why frontline staff still get the flu jab but not the Covid one. 

I have type 2 diabetes and still get the jab.  I am 73 

Then you’re fortunate as that doesn’t fit the criteria 

Albermarle

QrizB said:

Albermarle said:

elsien said:

Only those who are immunosuppressed I think. 

Frontline health and social care staff are also no longer eligible. It’s been tightened up a lot.
I have to be honest, I’m struggling to see why frontline staff still get the flu jab but not the Covid one. 

I think it is because most Covid cases are now quite mild, whilst a proper dose of flu can be pretty horrible.

I had COVID last week.

One out of five stars. Would not recommend.

Hopefully you feel better.
Out of interest how did you know it was Covid? Did the GP test for it ?

Auti

I think there is a bit of discretion in criteria as NHS website says criteria not set in stone - think it is a matter of asking and dependant on how many doses GP are allocated. Maybe walk in centre more flexible.

QrizB

Albermarle said:

QrizB said:

I had COVID last week.

One out of five stars. Would not recommend.

Hopefully you feel better.
Out of interest how did you know it was Covid? Did the GP test for it ?

I bought some lateral flow tests last winter, as the last of my free NHS ones had gone out of date.

Got a solid response on one of those - within the first minute or so.

Murphybear

Murphybear said:

elsien said:

Only those who are immunosuppressed I think. 

Frontline health and social care staff are also no longer eligible. It’s been tightened up a lot.
I have to be honest, I’m struggling to see why frontline staff still get the flu jab but not the Covid one. 

I have type 2 diabetes and still get the jab.  I am 73 

I had no idea the criteria had changed until the surgery told me I wasn’t eligible any more.  They are checking whether I can have the Covid jab when I have my flu jab.  

Apparently the change of rules wasn’t widely advertised and pharmacies are having a problem finding that many people have booked an appointment only to be told when they turn up that they weren’t eligible any more 

I’m quite keen to get the covid jab because my brother died from Covid but hadn’t had the jab.  My SIL, niece and nephew got Covid but only mildly as they all had the jab 

Sterlingtimes

I thought I had qualified based on my age, 69. However, I am eligible due to my theoretical immunosuppression.