Covid-19 vaccines and vaccinations

I'll get the updated Novavax vaccine as soon as it's available. It's been approved for use in the U.S. for people 65 and older, and, as with Moderna and Pfizer, people aged 12-64 can supposedly get it if they can prove high risk of severe covid. Pointless hoops!

@ahimsa, sorry to hear that your husband wasn't automatically approved for a covid vaccine, given his age. Like you, I also assumed if you were 65 or older, you could get the vaccine with no hassle.

Until recently, I didn't realize that asymptomatic people can also get long covid. I saw my ENT recently, and she said that in the 1 1/2 weeks prior, the clinic had 3 cases of patients with asymtomatic covid.

ir.novavax.com

Novavax's Nuvaxovid™ 2025-2026 Formula COVID-19 Vaccine Approved in the U.S. - Aug 27, 2025

Nuvaxovid™ is the only protein-based, non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine available in the U.S. for the 2025-2026 vaccination season GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq:...
ir.novavax.com ir.novavax.com
 
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perchance dreamer said:
I'll get the updated Novavax vaccine as soon as it's available. It's been approved for use in the U.S. for people 65 and older, and, as with Moderna and Pfizer, people aged 12-64 can supposedly get it if they can prove high risk of severe covid. Pointless hoops!
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Crossing my fingers for you!

At this point I don't think we'll be able to pick and choose. We'll just get whatever COVID shot is available.

I've got an appointment for two vaccines next week, flu shot and TDAP (it's been 10+ years so I was advised to get one). I hope by that time we'll know more about our options and can make appointments for COVID boosters.

EDIT: For anyone who wants to read more about the very confusing situation with COVID vaccines in USA (and why/how it varies from state to state) here are a couple of links:

www.pbs.org

Epidemiologist breaks down new restrictions on COVID shots

Many Americans who want to get the newest COVID vaccines may now have a harder time doing so. The Food and Drug Administration limited approval for the shots to adults 65 and older or those who are "high risk" for severe disease. The vaccine was previously available to individuals six months of...
www.pbs.org www.pbs.org

arstechnica.com

Who can get a COVID vaccine—and how? It’s complicated.

We’re working with a patchwork system, and there are a lot of gray areas.
arstechnica.com arstechnica.com
 
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Quick update - my husband (over 65) and I (under 65) got prescriptions from our doctor for the latest COVID vaccine. We plan to get our shots on Monday.

Our doctor is in a smaller clinic, and there is no facility to store vaccine doses, so we can't get it in the office. Some folks in the USA do get vaccines at their doctor's office but most folks get vaccines at pharmacies.

Oregon pharmacists still need a prescription from the patient's doctor in order to give a COVID vaccine, even if the patient is over 65. There are complicated bureaucratic reasons but the situation was triggered by policies/schedules that were implemented by RFK Jr, the anti-vaxx person who is now the head of Health and Human Services.

Just FYI, the state of Washington no longer requires a prescription for the latest COVID vaccine.
 
The Federal government cancelled the deal with the US company to make Novavax in Montreal because they said there was 'little demand" which is BS.

So now everyone will get the Canada made Moderna updated COVID vax.

I had no issues with either Pfz or Moderna, but I know many who would get the Noravax if it was available. but now won't get vaccinated at all.
 
As of yesterday Oregonians can get COVID vaccines at a pharmacy without prescription. News coverage by OPB:

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09...lifornia-washington-hawaii-vaccine-covid-flu/

This news may seem a bit niche but it includes news about the Western States Health Alliance which includes Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii. It talks about vaccine recommendations for COVID, influenza and RSV.

Link to FAQ:

https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le-1130100.pdf

EDIT: There's also a Northeast Public Health Collaborative which includes seven northeastern states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
 
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I am going to get both flu and Covid vaccines as soon as they become available for those who are immunocompromised. I'm not waiting until October 27 for "everyone else". Last year I went to a walk-in pharmacy and told them I was diabetic, I'm not getting into explaining ME/CFS. They gave me both vaccines early.
 
Our earliest dates were last week, but I've been feeling a bit rough so I wanted to give myself time to recover from some side effects. They're booked in for next week.
 
My GP practice texted me about two ago to arrange a flue jab, but when I got round to ringing them last Friday, they had no October slots left, and have not arranged any November clinics yet. Yesterday I got an email from the NHS saying I can book a jab online in a participating pharmacy, so I will look into that when my carer is next in.
 
Peter T said:
Yesterday I got an email from the NHS saying I can book a jab online in a participating pharmacy, so I will look into that when my carer is next in.
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I always have them at the local pharmacy. Much less waiting around and I don't have to drive 20 minutes to the surgery and then grapple with the parking—the shop's a few minutes from the house in my wheelie.

You can also get 'flu jabs at the Tesco pharmacy here, which is close by and has loads of Blue Badge parking spaces. They charge for them, but one year I needed to make a trip to the store anyway, so I'd decided to cough up the £12 rather than have to make a separate trip for my 'flu vaccination.

When I got there the pharmacist asked for my date of birth, got up my record, looked at my prescription, and told me I qualified for the free NHS programme. They didn't advertise that they also delivered free NHS jabs for eligible people, but I had them there for about eight years. It was only when they stopped doing Covid jabs that I changed to the neighbourhood pharmacy.
 
I am booked in for my flu vaccine in October.
I won't have a covid vaccine because of the severe adverse reaction I had to my third v and the advice to my GP from the A and E unit that treated me that I should not have another one for fear of a fatality.

We had thought Mr B was fine with vaccination. He had 5 or 6 covid vaccines but then had such a severe reaction to his last one 12 months ago that he won't have another. He is not a reactive person. An NHS neurologist has confirmed that the vestibular reactions which began 6 hours after the vaccine are related to it and made a referral to a vestibular neurologist. The queues are lengthy and the side effects very much affecting his life so he has a very expensive private appointment in Harley Street lined up. The local private hospitals don't have anyone with that specialism to offer an appointment so there's a fair wait for that.
 
Sorry to hear about Mr B Binkie4. Hope the private appointment can provide some answers.

My other-half is due another Covid and a flu shot shortly.

I did receive an invitation to both but due to the effects of my one and only Covid shot I don't feel as if I can risk it. The head pains and migraines (if they really are migraines?) continue and eye problems still make using the Internet hard.
 
The Green Book is the UK "bible" on vaccines.

The chapter on Covid vaccination has been recently updated (dated 1st September 2025) and discusses who is entitled to free vaccination plus various statistics about Covid, hospitalisations, and deaths :


UK Government info on all things related to the Green Book and vaccines can be found here :

www.gov.uk

Immunisation against infectious disease

The Green Book has the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures, for vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the UK.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
When I looked at this, they had tightened the criteria of eligibility for a CV vaccination (tables 3 & 4), but still left enough scope for conditions not specifically listed. I booked mine and was given it earlier this week. The pharmacist administering asked why I was eligible (am only 50, so, valid question) to which I just replied chronic neurological condition, which he wrote on the booking sheet and gave me the jab. Other than a slightly sore arm, no adverse effects for me.
 
Facing the first winter since the vaccines started without one, first turned down in spring so very much unprotected (vaccine wise) bedbound and unable to find a service so far that will come to me even paying for it myself, at a complete loss of what to do, mum contacted ICB board and they have confirmed in not eligible and my gps are refusing, the situation is terrible in the uk
 
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