Hello and thank you for your post,

Understanding who will be offered a 3rd covid vaccination or the booster is confusing.  As a cancer nurse I am not an expert on the vaccination programme but I hope the following information will be helpful.

The third primary dose is for anyone who might have been immunosuppressed at the time of their first two vaccine doses. A list of people who are immunosuppressed can be found, on the UK Government website here   This includes some people with blood cancers those who have received stem cell transplants and those who had received immunosuppressive chemotherapy or radiotherapy in the last 6 months.

The third dose should be given at least eight weeks after the second dose but the exact timing may depend on individual circumstances e.g. if you are receiving treatment that might affect your immune system. This decision when to have it should be made by your cancer specialist.

The booster is for people who are likely to have made a good immune response to their initial 2 doses of vaccine but whose immune response may have lessened over time. It is for all of those who were initially vaccinated as part of the first phase of the vaccine programme, in priority groups  as well as adult household contacts of immunosuppressed people.

People who are offered a booster will be contacted by their GP surgery or primary care trust inviting them to have it done. These invites are beginning to go out now so you will receive one , I am afraid I cannot t tell you when that will be. I think you should ask your cancer specialist team when would be the best time to have this if you are currently undergoing treatment that affects your immune system.  

We have more information about the vaccination programme on our website here 

I hope this has been of some help.

Take care,

Caroline 

I am going for my third primary vaccination today finished radiotherapy in march. Letter says a further booster in 6 months and is from hospital.

Hello and thank you for your posting,

As you can see from my colleague Caroline response to selbymum understanding who will be offered a 3rd Covid vaccination or the booster is confusing. In her response I hope she has provided some information which will be useful for you too.

The main message is if you might have been immunosuppressed at the time of their first two vaccine doses, i.e. within 6 months of receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, then a third vaccination is required. From the information you have given us this sounds like it maybe be you. A list of people who are immunosuppressed can be found, on the UK Government website

The decision of when to have the third dose should be made by your cancer specialist, so I would suggest you contact them or you specialist nurse (CNS) to find out more.

If it is decided that you require the booster, so they feel that you were not immunocompromised when receiving the first two vaccinations but your antibodies could just do with increasing, you will be contacted by your GP surgery or primary care trust. These booster invites have started going out now.

We have more information about the vaccination programme on our website here 

Take care, and I hope this has been of some help.

Sarah.

Hello Irate and thanks for posting us this, it's good to know. 

Hope all goes well,

Sarah.

I have finally received a letter from my consultant saying I'm eligible for a third primary dose.

There are still staff at vaccination centres who aren't aware of the eligibility though. (They think it's about immunosuppression right now, rather than when the first two jabs were given.) Hopefully all consultants and GPs are up to speed now though and nobody gets missed out. 

Hello and thanks for getting back to us

I am pleased you have heard from your consultant to say you are eligible for a 3rd covid vaccination.

As cancer nurses we are not directly involved in the vaccination programme. However it is our understanding that the criteria of patients eligible for this was sent to all GP's and specialists for searches to be run to select these patients so they could be invited for a 3rd dose.

As you say hopefully no one will get missed and if patients feel they are eligible should contact their specialist team or GP for advice.

Best wishes

Naomi