Flu vaccination question

Junglegirl · Oct 1, 2020

Hi,
I normally qualify for the annual flu vaccination via my doctors surgery, they have in fact sent me a text requesting that I make the relevant appointment. However, due to local lockdown and Covid restrictions I am not at home and therefore unable to get the jab there.
I am trying to source a walk in flu vaccination and have indeed found one at a pharmacy, however I have just been told that as I am under 65 I do not qualify. I mentioned that I have Type 1 Diabetes and again, after the lady on the phone checked twice with the pharmacist, was told It doesn’t work like that, no jab for me. Is this correct?

Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks

Robin · Oct 1, 2020

Junglegirl said:
Hi,
I normally qualify for the annual flu vaccination via my doctors surgery, they have in fact sent me a text requesting that I make the relevant appointment. However, due to local lockdown and Covid restrictions I am not at home and therefore unable to get the jab there.
I am trying to source a walk in flu vaccination and have indeed found one at a pharmacy, however I have just been told that as I am under 65 I do not qualify. I mentioned that I have Type 1 Diabetes and again, after the lady on the phone checked twice with the pharmacist, was told It doesn’t work like that, no jab for me. Is this correct?

Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks

Our surgery have just done the over 65 jabs, but they haven’t started on the people under 65 with health conditions yet, and I suspect it’s because they haven’t got the vaccine in stock yet.
But it seems Boots have been doing under 65s but are running out of stock.

Boots suspends flu vaccinations for under 65s as pharmacies report huge demand

The UK’s largest pharmacy chain, Boots, has suspended flu vaccination bookings for anyone aged under 65 years.

www.pharmaceutical-journal.com

Bruce Stephens · Oct 1, 2020

Junglegirl said:
I mentioned that I have Type 1 Diabetes and again, after the lady on the phone checked twice with the pharmacist, was told It doesn’t work like that, no jab for me. Is this correct?

That's nonsense, but it may be that a pharmacy has different rules (I'm not sure they are required to offer vaccination free to people who qualify).

For one thing there's a different vaccine for over 65. That would be my guess: the pharmacy has bought some of that vaccine and was just planning on doing over-65's and you don't fit that.

helli · Oct 1, 2020

I am under 65 so the only reason I would have a flu jab is diabetes. I had no problem getting one from my local pharmacy.
Could you take this (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/) to your pharmacist? It is pretty clear that you are entitled to a free flue jab ... and it is important for you to have one.

Inka · Oct 1, 2020

Boots and other chemists have cancelled their appointments even for over 65s. Apparently they’ve run out of vaccines, according to an elderly relative.

How far are you from your usual GP? Could you ask them if you could register as a temporary patient elsewhere to have the vaccine in these unusual circumstances?

Junglegirl · Oct 1, 2020

helli said:
I am under 65 so the only reason I would have a flu jab is diabetes. I had no problem getting one from my local pharmacy.
Could you take this (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/) to your pharmacist? It is pretty clear that you are entitled to a free flue jab ... and it is important for you to have one.

Thank you for your response and the link, much appreciated.

Junglegirl · Oct 1, 2020

Bruce Stephens said:
That's nonsense, but it may be that a pharmacy has different rules (I'm not sure they are required to offer vaccination free to people who qualify).

For one thing there's a different vaccine for over 65. That would be my guess: the pharmacy has bought some of that vaccine and was just planning on doing over-65's and you don't fit that.

Thank you for your reply, it seems to be a bit of grey area from place to place. I have only contacted pharmacies that offer nhs free flu vaccinations on their websites, so the next one I ring I will ask about age and medical conditions see what happens. Thanks again for your reply.

martindt1606 · Oct 1, 2020

I had the jab last weekend and as the GP said "thats the under 65 vaccine for you".

Junglegirl · Oct 1, 2020

Inka said:
Boots and other chemists have cancelled their appointments even for over 65s. Apparently they’ve run out of vaccines, according to an elderly relative.

How far are you from your usual GP? Could you ask them if you could register as a temporary patient elsewhere to have the vaccine in these unusual circumstances?

Hi Inka,
Thank you for your reply, I am over 250 miles away.
Temporary registration is difficult as many practices not offering registration during covid for temporary patients.

grovesy · Oct 1, 2020

Junglegirl said:
Thank you for your reply, it seems to be a bit of grey area from place to place. I have only contacted pharmacies that offer nhs free flu vaccinations on their websites, so the next one I ring I will ask about age and medical conditions see what happens. Thanks again for your reply.

Unfortunately there is no unified system throughput most health provisions.
I have seen GP'S posting on Twitter saying their surgeries have not received any or limited supplies of the vaccine. As others have said there are 2 types of vaccine those for under 65 , and one for over 65. I had mine 2 weeks ago I am over 65.

Pine Marten · Oct 1, 2020

For 2 days I had no luck trying to get through to our surgery so I rang the pharmacy this morning - the girl asked my age etc (we are 70 and 71) and said we could come today to their walk-in (we couldn't do it today) or any weekday, first come first served. So we plan to go tomorrow morning. It's hopeless trying to ring the surgery as instructed

Sharron1 · Oct 1, 2020

martindt1606 said:
I had the jab last weekend and as the GP said "thats the under 65 vaccine for you".

Am curious, are there different flu vaccines dependent on age, respiratory and diabetes etc?

Docb · Oct 1, 2020

Sharron1 said:
Am curious, are there different flu vaccines dependent on age, respiratory and diabetes etc?

I believe there are two. One for over 65's and one for under 65's. I have no idea why or what the differences are.

Bruce Stephens · Oct 1, 2020

Sharron1 said:
Am curious, are there different flu vaccines dependent on age, respiratory and diabetes etc?

I think it's just age (there's one with an adjuvant for over 65 and maybe a different one for children).

grovesy · Oct 1, 2020

Sharron1 said:
Am curious, are there different flu vaccines dependent on age, respiratory and diabetes etc?

They are age related under 65 and over 65. I believe they never used to be, as a couple of years ago I could have had either as I straddle the age between the 2 .

helli · Oct 1, 2020

Thank you for educating me. I never knew there was a different vaccination depending on age so I had to find out more. The NHS says

Flu vaccine ingredients
There are several types of injected flu vaccine. None of them contains live viruses so they are called inactivated vaccines.

If you're eligible for the flu vaccine on the NHS, you'll be offered one that's most effective for you, depending on your age:

adults aged 18 to 64 – there are different types, including low-egg and egg-free ones
adults aged 65 and over – the most common one contains an extra ingredient to help your immune system make a stronger response to the vaccine

You learn something new every day

grovesy · Oct 1, 2020

helli said:
Thank you for educating me. I never knew there was a different vaccination depending on age so I had to find out more. The NHS says

Flu vaccine ingredients
There are several types of injected flu vaccine. None of them contains live viruses so they are called inactivated vaccines.

If you're eligible for the flu vaccine on the NHS, you'll be offered one that's most effective for you, depending on your age:

adults aged 18 to 64 – there are different types, including low-egg and egg-free ones

adults aged 65 and over – the most common one contains an extra ingredient to help your immune system make a stronger response to the vaccine

You learn something new every day

The different type am sure are a new introduction the year before last where I was not quite 65 but would have been before the end of the Flu season, and think there was a supply issue with the one over 65 too!
In the last couple of years they have started to say that older people do not always respond to vaccines aswell as younger people.

KathC · Oct 2, 2020

Have received a phone call this morning from GP's surgery for annual bloods and flu jab appointment. Arranged for Tuesday morning. If I remember I'll ask if it's the under 65 one.

Junglegirl · Oct 2, 2020

KathC said:
Have received a phone call this morning from GP's surgery for annual bloods and flu jab appointment. Arranged for Tuesday morning. If I remember I'll ask if it's the under 65 one.

Thank you

Junglegirl · Oct 2, 2020

Docb said:
I believe there are two. One for over 65's and one for under 65's. I have no idea why or what the differences are.

Apparently there is a little something added to the over 65’s to make it work better.

Flu vaccination question

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Moderator

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Active Member

Active Member