You can now make an appointment without being contacted by the NHS first as long as it’s been six months and one week since your second jab.
Not according to our health authority.
My 6m1w is up next Sunday, so I should hear any day now. I phoned my surgery and they advised me to wait to get a notification from NHS England.
Thank you
These were changes made the day after the big announcement by Savage Javage. Complaints about people NOT receiving a text and the UK falling behind with the booster programme. “If you have not received an invite but it’s been 6 months and 1 week (190 days) since your 2nd dose, you can try to book your appointment online without an invite.” Quote from: Getting a COVID-19 vaccine - NHS .
If you are very concerned about your lack of immunity or have some other issue which makes you feel vulnerable, go to a vaccination centre and ask to speak to “clinical”. They’ll probably be able to help.
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Decided to see if I could find out what is happening with me getting a the flu jab and yet again my health board has surpassed itself in its inefficiency.
I found a number to call.
Number 1, please call back later.
Number 2, ditto.
Number 3, I got an answer machine.
Number 4 bingo got through to someone who told me I was booked for the 11th of November at the Highland Centre but as yet the letter had not gone out.
Now this is right the other side of Edinburgh and then some and not a journey easily made by public transport. I asked for something a little closer to where I stayed and even though I had confirmed my address she did not know what part of Edinburgh it was as it seems that NHS Lothian have contracted out the work of allocating jab appointments and the woman I was speaking to was in England. (WTF)
I asked her to go through the areas in Edinburgh which were doing the jabs and eventually I got Leith, just down the road but not until the 27th of November I also managed to get the booster added.
Nice lady on the phone and she agreed that the rollout has been a bit of a shambles but as I said my health board is an inefficient bureaucracy even in normal times.
I’m pleased to hear you have been able to book your jab appointments, @MrFraggle67. 
I hope all goes well with them 
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@ MrFraggle67, Ditto me too , however today l got eyewitness
info that booster jabs were being administered today allthough
no official announcements have been made yet??
Apparently to Morrow’s planned sessions have been cancelled
but further sessions are planned for next Wednesday and
Sunday according to our local grapevine ??
I have updated my local MP on these developments as she
was supposed to update me this week regarding Melton
getting a centre set up??
Seems the public in Melton are getting their info before the
authorities !!
Donkeyman! 
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I spoke to soon.
This just gets better and better, received the letter for my original appointment with a contact number and as my new appointment is on a Saturday I decided to phone and confirm this.
Bloody good job I did as whoever I spoke to yesterday had managed to delete the appointment and there was nothing available anywhere unless I wanted to take a day trip out of Edinburgh to get the flu and booster jabs.
Thought I would try and see if I could get to the Royal Highland Centre from where I am but I would have had to get two buses to the Ocean Terminal then get an Airlink bus to the centre which really was a no no. This is so typical of my health board as no thought has been given to those that do not have a car.
No idea when I will get an appointment now as I need to keep phoning weekly in the hope of getting an appointment but I have submitted a complaint not that that will get me anywhere as an independent report found the complaints department ‘not fit for purpose’ and all NHS Lothian did in response was shuffle a few people around.
@ MrFraggle, Bejasus, it seems Melton is not alone MF ??
I hope my arrangements don’t get scuppered at the last minute
too ?
I am hoping to go next Wednesday , and as l have been reliably
informed by my local source they are operating on a walk in
basis with no booking required??
I will still need a taxi, but only to the tune of £8 as opposed
to £40 previously which is ok by me !!
Of course all this comes with a " many a slip twixt cup and lip"
proviso !!
Donkeyman!
I had my booster yesterday at a pharmacy in town. Just a sore arm at the moment so am hoping that will be all I get this time. I’m glad I had it done though - I was having second thoughts about it but decided in the end that I would do my bit and have it!
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That’s good to hear Margaret, I hope the soreness eases in a couple of days…
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Booked mine this morning, but for my convenience it is not until 20 November, up the coast in Gorleston (not far really).
I had my booster last Saturday. I had Pfizer the same as the previous two vaccinations.
I had no reaction to it but then l didn’t with the first two either.
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Had mine yesterday, Pfizer this time A/Z for first two, having to type one handed as fingers and arm feel dead today, have already dropped the kettle lucky it hadn’t been boiled. Mr is fine no reaction at all.
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Had my flu and booster jab today, anyone any idea how long the side effects last? 
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Brilliant MrFraggle! 
Hope all goes well for you… 
@MrFraggle67
Hi Mr F 
what side effects do you have.
With the booster I felt achy for a day with a sore arm. I took some paracetamol and put an ice pack on the arm .
So far nothing more than a sore arm and as I don’t tend to take painkillers I am hoping won’t get any worse.
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@MrFraggle67 that’s good The doctor who did my booster told me to take the paracetamol if I got aching flu like symptoms when I told him I had a bad reaction to the second vaccination.