Why you are being offered a Covid-19- booster
You can use this service to pre-book a booster dose of the vaccine if it’s been 2 months (61 days) since your 2nd dose and you’re in one of these groups:
- Aged 18 years and over
- Aged 16 or 17 years old with a health condition that puts you at risk from Covid-19
- Aged 16 or 17 years old and a frontline health and social care worked
Although you can pre-book a booster from 2 months (61 days) after your 2nd dose, the appointment dates you’ll be offered will be from 3 months (91 days) after your 2nd dose.
If you’ve had the 3rd does for people with a severly weakened immune system
If you’ve had the 3rd dose for people with a severely weakened immune system, you’ll be eligible for a booster dose from 3 months (91 days) after your 3rd dose.
You cannot book a booster using this service yet, but your GP or hospital specialist will invite you for a booster when it’s due.
You can also find a walk-in coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site and attend any walk-in site offering boosters if you have a letter from your GP or hospital specialist inviting you for either a 3rd dose or a booster following your 3rd dose.
You must take your letter with you to the walk-in site.
About booking your vaccine
We’ll ask you some questions and offer an appointment for a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, based on your previous vaccinations and the answers you give us.
If you have not had any doses of the vaccine yet and you’re aged 18 years old or over, you’ll be able to book both your 1st and 2nd dose appointments at the same time
If you’ve had a positive Covid-19 test
If you’ve had a positive COVID-19 test, you need to wait before getting any dose of the vaccine. You need to:
- Wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 18 years old or over
- Wait 12 weeks (84 days) if you’re aged 12 to 17 years old
- Wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 12 to 17 years old and at high-risk from COVID-19
This starts from the date you had symptoms, or the date of the positive test if you did not have any symptoms.
Please choose a suitable appointment date when booking. You can also cancel and rebook an existing appointment for a later date if needed.
Common Side Effects
As with your previous dose the common side effects are the same for all COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK, and include:
- Having a painful, heavy feeling and tenderness in the arm where you had your injection – this tends to be worst around 1 to 2 days after the vaccine
- Feeling tired
- Headache
- General aches, or mild flu like symptoms
You can rest and take paracetamol (follow the dose advice in the packaging) to help make you feel better. Although feeling feverish is not uncommon for 2 to 3 days, a high temperature is unusual and may indicate you have COVID-19 or another infection.
Although a fever can occur within a day or two of vaccination, if you have any other COVID-19 symptoms or your fever lasts longer, stay at home and arrange to have a test. Symptoms following vaccination normally last less than a week. If your symptoms seem to get worse or if you are concerned, you can call NHS 111.
Serious Side Effects
Worldwide, there have also been recent, very rare cases of inflammation of the heart called myocarditis or pericarditis reported after Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
These cases have been seen mostly in younger men within several days after vaccination. Most of these people recovered and felt better following rest and simple treatments.
You should seek medical advice urgently if, after vaccination, you experience:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart
If you had serious side effects after any previous dose you may be advised to avoid or delay further vaccination. You should discuss this with your doctor or specialist.
Those who shouldn’t have a booster
There are very few people who should not have a booster.
If you have had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine you should discuss this with your doctor.
Can you still catch Covid-19 after having the vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccination will reduce the chance of you suffering from COVID-19. It may take a few days for your body to build up some protection from the booster.
Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective – some people may still get COVID-19 despite having a vaccination, but this should be less severe.
If you have not had the first vaccinations
If you have not yet had either of your first 2 doses of the vaccine you should have them as soon as possible.
You will still need the booster but the timing of it will depend on when you had your first 2 doses.