COVID-19 booster vaccine: What you need to know

1. Will people with CF be invited for a COVID-19 booster vaccine?

Yes. Booster vaccine doses are available on the NHS for people most at risk from COVID-19 who have had a second dose of a vaccine at least six months ago. This includes people with CF.

2. When and how will I receive my booster vaccine?

You'll be offered a booster dose at least six months after you had your second dose. In England, people will begin to receive invites once it has been five months since their second dose. The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have a booster dose. Most people will be invited to book an appointment at a larger vaccination centre, pharmacy, or local NHS service such as a GP surgery.

Frontline health or social care workers can book a booster dose appointment online and do not need to wait to be contacted by the NHS. People who work for an NHS trust or a care home will usually get their booster dose through their employer.

3. Is there any other way I can get my booster vaccine?

In England, you can find a walk-in vaccination centre via the NHS website. More information about who can use a walk-in site to get a first, second or booster dose is available on this page. In Wales, the advice is to wait to be contacted by your health board. If you are in Scotland, the advice is also to wait to be contacted, but online booking will be available from mid-November. In Northern Ireland, those aged 16 and over with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk, adult carers and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals can take up the offer of the jab and book via community pharmacies. Those who are clinically vulnerable will be contacted directly.

4. I’ve heard that there is a booster vaccine and a third primary vaccine dose. What’s the difference and which one will I receive?

The booster vaccine is an additional dose of the vaccine for all those who received two doses as part of the first phase of the vaccine programme. Most people with CF are likely to have had a good immune response to their first two doses. The booster is intended to protect people against COVID-19 infection for longer. Those in priority groups 1-9, frontline health and social care workers, and those living with people who are immunosuppressed, are eligible for a booster dose, which can be given six months after the second dose.

The third dose is an extra dose of the vaccine for anyone who may not have developed a full immune response from their first two vaccine doses. This is usually people who are immunosuppressed, including people who have had a transplant. The third dose is intended to generate a stronger immune response and can be given eight weeks after the second vaccination.

The exact timings may vary and advice on third vaccines for people who are immunosuppressed should be sought from specialist CF teams or transplant teams.

5. I should be receiving a third primary dose and have been offered a booster. Should I take it?

No, the third primary dose and booster vaccines do different things (see question above) so you should explain that you should be receiving a third primary dose.

You will be invited for a booster vaccine six months after your third primary dose. If you are unsure, speak with your GP or your CF or transplant team. 

6. It's been over six months since my second dose and I’ve not been contacted. What can I do?

If it has been six months plus one week since your second dose and you have not yet been contacted to come forward for your booster jab you can call 119 to book it in or book it online. 

7. Should children aged between 12-15 with CF receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or two?

Children and young people aged 12 to 17 years who are in recognised risk groups should receive their second dose at an interval of at least eight weeks. CF is recognised as an at risk group.

8. Is it safe to have the flu jab at the same time as the COVID-19 booster vaccine?

Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 and flu vaccines can be administered safely at the same time. The UK CF Medical Association (CFMA) recommends that people with CF and their families access vaccines for COVID-19 as per the recommendation of the government. They also strongly encourage that they access the flu vaccine as soon it is available. Flu vaccination works well for people with CF and is recommended each year. This winter, it will be particularly important.

9. What about flu vaccines for children?

Most children aged 2-5 years will be offered a nasal flu vaccine via their GP, or via their school for school-aged children. 

Schools in England have been given extra time to carry out flu vaccinations for children this year. If you’re concerned about waiting for a flu vaccine for your child with CF at a school in England, you can contact your GP to book your child’s vaccine.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. It affects more than 10,600 people in the UK. One in 25 of us carries the faulty gene that causes it, usually without knowing.

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