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Home » News and events » Latest news » COVID-19 national vaccination programme » Frequently Asked Questions regarding the third primary dose

Frequently Asked Questions regarding the third primary dose

The JCVI has advised that people with severely weakened immune systems should have a third vaccine dose as part of their primary COVID-19 vaccination schedule. If you are eligible to have your third primary vaccination, the CCG will write to you to advise you on how to access this dose. If you have received a letter from the CCG letting you know that you're eligible, please use this page to help answer any queries you may have.

You have been invited to have a third primary dose because the NHS has identified you as someone who was severely immunosuppressed when you received your first or second dose of the vaccine.

There are a number of medical conditions and treatments that can cause severe immunosuppression, such as some treatments for cancer, therapy for autoimmune disease, and immunosuppressive therapy that is given to patients who have received an organ transplant.

If you are unsure about why you have been invited, please speak to your GP or your consultant if you’re in active treatment at the moment.

We would recommend you speak to your GP or your consultant, if you’re in active treatment at the moment, to get their advice on whether you would benefit from a third primary dose before you make a decision on whether or not to take up the offer. If you do not feel you should have the third primary dose, you do not need to take any action. You can ignore your invitation if you would prefer to do so.

No. This vaccination is called a third primary dose because it’s part of your primary course of vaccination, which means it’s in the same group as your first and second dose. The third primary vaccination is only offered to people with severe immunosuppression, or who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second vaccination.

The booster vaccination is being offered to a larger group of patients; currently those aged 50 or over, those who are clinically vulnerable, and frontline health and social care workers are eligible.

Yes. You will be offered the booster vaccination after at least 91 days have passed since you received your last primary vaccination. If you choose to take up the offer of the third primary dose, this would become your last primary vaccination. If you do not choose to take up the offer, your last primary dose should be the second dose of the vaccine you received.

To access your third primary dose, please visit one of the daily walk-in vaccination sites run by Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS) NHS Trust, bringing the letter you received from the CCG with you as proof of your eligibility. 

Currently the list of sites is:

  • The Grafton Centre in Cambridge – open daily 8.30am-4pm, and Tuesdays & Wednesdays 8.30am-7.30pm
  • The Eatons Community Centre in Eaton Socon – open daily 8.30am-4pm, and Tuesdays 8.30am-7.30pm
  • The Oaktree Centre in Huntingdon – open daily 8.30am-4pm, and Thursdays 8.30am-7.30pm
  • Former Next shop at Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough – open daily 8.30am-4pm, and Thursdays from 8.30am-7.30pm
  • The Horsefair Shopping Centre in Wisbech – open daily 8.30am-4pm, and Mondays 8.30am-7.30pm

Please visit www.thevaccinators.co.uk before attending one of the above walk-in clinics to check the latest information as opening hours are subject to change.

If your GP practice is currently part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, you may be invited to have your third primary vaccine at your local GP-led vaccination site. 

If you are aged 18 or over you can now also choose to book your third primary dose online via www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine, or by calling 119. 

The third primary dose must be given at least 8 weeks after your second dose. If you are currently under the care of a consultant for treatment that causes immunosuppression, they should advise you on the best timing for you to have your third primary dose. If you are under the care of a consultant for this type of treatment but have not heard from them yet, please contact them to discuss timing.

If you are not currently under the care of a consultant and it has been at least 8 weeks since your second dose, please do come forward to have your third primary dose.

You will generally be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination as your third primary dose. Some people who previously had the AstraZeneca vaccine may be offered this vaccine type again.

This information is correct as at: 13/12/2021