When called for a Covid jab, get it – no matter how young you are, says Dr Zoe

WHEN called for a Covid jab, get it – no matter how young you are or where you think you should be in the queue.

The NHS is trying to vaccinate as many as possible.

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In some areas, healthy young people under the age of 50 are already getting their call up. Meanwhile, in other places people over 65 are still waiting.

It might feel unfair, and is. It is not perfect.

This is the first vaccine programme of its kind the NHS has had to roll out so quickly and there WILL be glitches.

But mostly, the only reason healthy, young people are getting the call is because in their area it is their turn.

For example, I live in an affluent part of South London where there are mostly young, healthy people.

I work in an area with many more elderly and vulnerable people. So the GP practice where I am a patient has vaccinated the elderly and vulnerable on their lists quickly and is working down through the age groups.

It is ahead of schedule. At the practice where I work, we are ahead of schedule but not as far ahead.

Yet, the fact remains that both practices have likely vaccinated the same proportion of their patients.

‘You are ultimately helping to protect the wider community’

You might think that by calling your GP practice and questioning why you have been called, you are helping – or that by not booking in, you open the way for someone older or more vulnerable.

But it makes most sense for GP practices to get through their patient base as soon as possible, then they can potentially free up doctors, nurses and other staff to help neighbouring areas.

So while you might be trying to do right, you could end up slowing things down.

If you do feel guilty, there are three reasons not to.

First, by having the jab you protect yourself from infection.

Secondly, you are protecting the people close to you and those you come into contact with.

Thirdly, you are ultimately helping to protect the wider community, and everybody in the world.

It’s important to also remember that anyone 70 or over who has not been contacted yet, should use the online booking service to get their vaccine booked straight away.

The same applies for those who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable groups – those people with a shielded patient letter.

To book, see .

Jab Q&A

As this second phase of the vaccine programme continues, at an incredible pace, I have had lots of new questions from patients.

So I thought I would address a few here:

I’ve had my jab, what now?

While you may have had your first dose, it doesn’t mean you are protected straight away.

It takes about three weeks before people have a good level of immunity.

And what’s more, it is vital you do have the second dose this will strengthen your immunity and make it last longer.

If I’ve had Covid, do I need a jab?

The simple answer is yes. If you’ve had Covid you will have some immunity from having had the infection but we don’t know how much, or how long it will last. The vaccine will act as a booster, giving you stronger and longer protection.

Can I have the jab if I currently have Covid?

If you have Covid, the advice is you should isolate and wait four weeks before having the jab. That’s four weeks from first having symptoms or having a positive test.

What about side effects?

The most common side effects are mild ones: a sore arm for a day or 2, and mild flu-like symptoms that tend to last less than 24 hours.

Believe it or not, these mild symptoms are a good sign. It is proof your immune system is responding to the vaccine. Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen can help alleviate them.

If you do notice more severe symptoms, especially a high temperature, cough and loss of taste and/or smell, then it is still likely to be Covid.

It’s inevitable that some people will catch the virus just before or after having their vaccine, and so before they have built up any immunity.

In that instance, isolate and get a test.

Every single jab we give to a patient means we are one step closer to the end of this ordeal. So, please, when you get that call, go get your jab. It’s the best thing you can do, for us all.

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