COVID-19/Coronavirus Information and Support Thread (see OP for useful links)

[Touring Mars]

With the amount of infections I hear around me and the severity of this variant, I'm getting my booster this month. I prefer a couple of hours of meh over a week of bleh.

I regret not looking into getting a booster privately - vaccines are no longer available to under-75s in the UK on the NHS, but they are still available in some high street pharmacies, albeit at around £100 a pop. That said, I would gladly have paid that to avoid the misery of having COVID again, which cost me a full week (which was meant to be a holiday) and has left me with symptoms that are lingering on now into a 4th week.

Although it's uncertain where my entire family picked up COVID this time around, it is very likely down to the schools going back - and now the Uni students are back this week, I expect a lot of people will get COVID in the next week or two. Fortunately my recent bout will hopefully act as a de facto vaccine booster, but I will definitely look into getting a shot next summer before the school's go back.

 

[Joey D]

I regret not looking into getting a booster privately - vaccines are no longer available to under-75s in the UK on the NHS, but they are still available in some high street pharmacies, albeit at around £100 a pop. That said, I would gladly have paid that to avoid the misery of having COVID again, which cost me a full week (which was meant to be a holiday) and has left me with symptoms that are lingering on now into a 4th week.

Although it's uncertain where my entire family picked up COVID this time around, it is very likely down to the schools going back - and now the Uni students are back this week, I expect a lot of people will get COVID in the next week or two. Fortunately my recent bout will hopefully act as a de facto vaccine booster, but I will definitely look into getting a shot next summer before the school's go back.

Ok, that's pretty strange. In the US, Medicaid covers the vaccine (social insurance for those 65 and older), and almost every private insurance plan covers the vaccine. If you don't have private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare, you can go to your local health department, and they'll give you a vaccine for whatever you can afford to pay. Does the NHS cover flu shots for the general population or no?

 

[Touring Mars]

Does the NHS cover flu shots for the general population or no?

Only for 65+ or people with certain conditions. Again, the rest of us would have to use a high street pharmacy (Boots) and a flu shot is £22.

 

[Jezza819]

Ok, that's pretty strange. In the US, Medicaid covers the vaccine (social insurance for those 65 and older), and almost every private insurance plan covers the vaccine. If you don't have private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare, you can go to your local health department, and they'll give you a vaccine for whatever you can afford to pay. Does the NHS cover flu shots for the general population or no?

Yeah now my doctor's office carries both the new Covid vaccine along with the yearly flu shot so I don't have to go to the pharmacy anymore for the Covid shot. And they are both covered by my insurance.

 

[Dennisch]

Only for 65+ or people with certain conditions. Again, the rest of us would have to use a high street pharmacy (Boots) and a flu shot is £22.

Here 60+ gets priority but anyone can get the shot, for free.

 

[TB]

I had my annual "make sure my meds aren't killing me" appointment this morning. Next thing I know I'm a human pin cushion getting a Covid booster, flu shot, Hep A and B shots and blood drawn.