General Chat

We've known for weeks here that the new variant is a reason for concern. It's a variant of Omicron, but there are 33 mutations which is what gives concern.

There is a new vaccine expected to be out either this month or next.

I had an email in August to go for my 6 month booster, but my doctor's advice is in accord with our Provincial Health Officer ........... wait for the new vaccine, and get it as soon as possible.

No mention of having to have the Flu shot at the same time, just have it when called.

We are NHS Highland as well and one of the boxes I had to tick was whether I wanted to use text or email for communications. No snail mail option, so I think next time I will get an email rather than a letter.

They seem to have got their act together after the chaos the first time when we were all given appointments in the most unsuitable places. Ours was 5 miles away, by swimming!! or 50 miles by road if you could drive/owned a car/could afford a taxi etc. By public transport you needed two days. :-(

No letters here (NHS Highland area) this time, although there were letters all previous times.
Just a text advising how to book online or by phone.

I booked online. As Andysmum says, it was very easy, with a choice of venues.
At my chosen venue the earliest possible date was 3rd November - so I booked a time on that day for both flu and Covid jabs.

I had my letter today to book mine on-line. It was very easy and there was a large choice of venues (mostly impractical for us) and dates/times.

I am being done at the village hall, where we were done last time, on 4th October - the earliest date available when I wasn't otherwise occupied. I tried to book OH at the same time, but they wouldn't let me because he hasn't had his letter yet. It'll probably come on Monday and he shouldn't have any bother getting the same date as me.

Got my invite today to book it

Earliest at my docs. Is 28 the sept which I have accepted

JoyL it was news to me as well and the senior nurse who was doing my annual check up told me they had only just found out (a week ago). And she said it was very important to know this as it was so different, so short compared with previous years.

So yesterday we are told the new variant is a concern - today they tell us they have run out of testing kits. :-0

I suppose one shouldn’t really be surprised. :-|

I expect it will take surgeries a few days to rework their plans.

Our surgery's website has a 'Book the date' message for Flu jabs and says we will be sent a timed slot to attend on Sat. 7th October or Tuesday 10th October.

No message yet about Covid protection, but they are a hub for the local area, so I guess dates will be released soon for online booking.

Thank you Kense.

Ann, that’s news to me. Have they already become aware of a flu variant after manufacturing this autumn seasonal flu jabs? I ask because the immunity afforded by flu jabs is usually six months - waning towards the end of that period, of course.

My curiosity has got the better of me so I shall Google it. :-D

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/08/nhs-flu-and-covid-vaccine-programmes-brought-forward-due-to-risk-of-new-covid-variant/

Updated yesterday.

It is the flu jab that our surgery has said has only 10/weeks protection not Covid, they have not mentioned the Covid jab yet. And they have said this years flu jab has a shorter protection rate than former jabs.

That’s what I heard, Names. Lately, I have seen a lot more people wearing face masks once again.

My flu jab is booked for 23 September, booked after the doc advised OH he was giving flu jabs that date; because of OH’s reduced immunity he has always had the flu jab in early-autumn.

Apparently it takes around two weeks before its effectiveness kicks in so that will be early- to mid-October.

Ten weeks’ effectiveness is a much shorter period than I have ever heard. We believe it is more like six months - so through to spring, closer to the time when the new strain will begin in the east and antipodes, then the flu jab we receive next autumn will have been tweaked to cover that new strain. That is the norm, but I can remember once that the strain unexpectedly mutated again when most flu jabs in the UK had been given or manufactured. Still, as far as I’m concerned, every little helps.

I shall leave at least a couple of weeks before I get my autumn covid jab. Too much ‘stuff’ going into my body at the same time would worry me but I have not heard of any medical or scientific evidence for that - it is just my choice.

But isn’t it new data and the new mutation that has brought about yesterdays change?

I read a news article saying that we should wait a few weeks before having the covid jab, as early season jabs will not be effective against the new variants. It's not my opinion, I'm just sharing what I read for information.

I don't know who to trust.

In Scotland , people aged 50-64, with no underlying health conditions, and also children, will be offered flu jabs from 4th September onwards.

Older people will get flu and Covid jabs together, starting on 18th September with the most vulnerable first.

Our GPs don't do it - it 's done by a Health Board vaccination team who travel around from place to place. In our case it will be in the village hall.

Mine was due to start in October as well but this is a very recent decision by the government to bring the dates forward.
My surgery hasn’t updated its message yet. Not surprising as it would appear that the change was only announced today.

My surgery won’t do the flu jab until October. I was told by a nurse there that is because this years jab only has a ten week protection rate and they want to cover the worst winter months. It could mean I assume having the Covid jab separately.

Just spotted this as a new lead article on the daily Mail website. The flu/covid jab date is being brought forward by a month, so now will start from 11th September. Obviously GP practices will differ. But at least we know we should now be keeping a eye out for messages to book.