Covid update
 

Interesting article here - waiting for my booster...

https://english.elpais.com/society/2...accinated.html

Re: Covid update
 

I had both my booster and 'flu shots this afternoon

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Did you have to sit around afterwards in case of any adverse reaction or could you leave immediately?

Rosemary

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No unlike the first and second covid jabs, just ushered out straight away.

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I saw today that all healthcare workers and over 60s are to be offered booster jab. I imagine though it will take time to administer it. But given that UK are mumbling on about how fully vaccinated might mean with booster it is probably a good idea to get it if you plan to travel soon

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From the 10th of January, a booster jab will be mandatory if nine months have passed since your last jab, to enter an EU country.

EU moves to place Covid booster jabs at heart of travel rules

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Funny enough I looked up booster jabs in Spain today. My 6 months from 2 vaccine is in January from El País they say that we will be contacted as we were for the first 2 jabs. How were those that have had the booster contacted re appointment?

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There were no individual appointments sent out for the booster in my town of 3000 people. The health centre was doing them on set days for one hour and targeting certain age groups each time. Our town hall informed people via FB, WhatsApp and public announcements. Unfortunately this meant that people were queueing without distancing and going in and out of the door close together. Masks were mandatory.

Rosemary

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Thanks Rosemary funny enough on the Salude Responde App i noticed it had a covid vaccine button which used to say something along the lines of not required by you untill a few days ago now it opens up for booking showing appointments for two days a week. I have recently had my gripe vaccine about 3 weeks ago which was before this opening up for boosters for 60 to 69 year old. A friend who was 70 when they went for Gripe vaccine was also given covid booster. I will wait and see and if I haven't been told otherwise by my 6 month date in January I will make an appointment on the Salude Responde App at local Health centre and see what happens.

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My husband had his last week (aged 72) and I have an appointment to have mine next week (aged 65). I had AZ for my first 2 doses so can get the booster after 3 months not 6 (although it will actually be 5 months by the time of my appointment). Neither of us were contacted, we just saw announcements in the press that appointments could be booked from a certain date (it was from this Monday for people aged 60-69 in Andalucia) and booked our appointments via the Salud Responde app (they can also be made via the Andalucia Salud app, Clic Salud website, Salud Responde central phone number or your local health centre). There are also going to be walk in sessions at the mass vaccination centres where people who are eligible can turn up without an appointment and get the booster - I believe there was one on Wednesday of this week at the big marquee on the Vélez-Málaga fairground. I am sure they will be contacting eligible people who have not booked their own appointments after a certain period of time, to try to maximise take-up.

We had our flu jabs a few weeks ago but at that time 6 months had not elapsed since my husband's second vaccination so he was told he couldn't have the booster at the same time, and they said I wasn't eligible at that time (the announcement that people over 60 would be able to have the booster hadn't yet been made).

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Just to clarify a point in that article that I'm not sure of - it refers to non-EU travellers entering the EU - "....from 10 January 2022 non-EU travellers will be required to show proof of an EU-approved booster jab once their original vaccine status is more than nine months old."
Ok, understand that.
Then says, "Similarly, travellers between the member states would have to meet the same requirement...."
So non-EU people already in the EU will have the same requirement of 9 months to enter another EU country. I think.

But - if a UK national who has the right to reside in the EU (as many here do for example in Spain) wants to travel between EU countries or leave the EU (holiday in Turkey?), or are and EU national anyway, and then return to Spain, will it still be 12 months validity, or as in some countries presently, there appears to be no limit stated.

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Thanks Lynn I had AZ both previous jabs so that may be why the appointments have now started to show in the Salude Responded App. Strangely they don't when my wife logs in hers still shows the message screen, she is a few years younger than me but over 60. I will make some enquiries at the Centro salud .
I have just researched the Salud Andalucía App a bit further and found a full explanation re 3rd jab which outlines exactly as you said Lynn re AZ. I have now made an appointment. My wife's still shows not required message. My guess is they will be rolling it down by age I'm 67 she's 63. So I guess they probably did 69-67 first then 67-65 etc so we will check in a week or so and see if appointments are available for her booster. Thanks for your help much appreciated.

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Seems part of the negotiations was standardising the limit in EU countries to nine months.

I think if you live in the EU and you want to catch an airplane for intra-EU travel, you'll have to show you've had a jab in the last nine months. Otherwise you're welcome to take the train (if the train company don't ask to see your pass as well) or the car.

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When we were in Italy in September, we did have to show our vaccination certificates on an inter-regional rail journey (but not on journeys within the same region).

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Being of the younger generation than most here I received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in June...

Went to the health center on Thursday and received an appointment for Monday, Nov 29 for a booster ???? I do not know if it is a booster or original vaccine. Will ask...

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Yes, those who had one-shot J&J (Janssen) vaccine is eligible for a booster 3 months after. You will get Phizer/BioNTec vaccine.

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In Valencia you are meant to be able to get your booster when you get your gripe vac I tried to get an appointment but it kept saying that none were available!!!

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Thanks...

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Not sure where exactly you are in Valencia but you can just turn up at the mobile vaccination point at the Marathon exhibition in Cuidad de las Ciences on Friday 3rd December from 10-14 and 16 to 20 and Saturday 4th 10 to 14 only. Yesterday they did them at the bullring and IKEA. I chose IKEA, a bad move as it took nearly 3 hours whereas the bullring, a 5 minute walk from home, had no queue at all.

Conditions for this are that you're over 60 or in the essentials list or had the Janssen jab. There's no appointment system for walk-ins so take a book just in case. Given the current news, I'd say it's worth the effort to avoid being stranded if you travel or want to travel.

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UK PCR fun begins again unless you're flying in from Ireland.

From 4am Tuesday, even if you're vaccinated, you need to have a PCR test after arriving in the UK which you have to book in advance before flying. It can be taken on days 0, 1, or 2 and you have to self-isolate until you get a negative result.

How the return of PCR tests and self-isolation for international travel will work

Choose your test provider wisely after the problems from last time.

On the 1st of December, Spain will change the restrictions for travellers from the UK from a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test to just a vaccination certificate.

España endurece los controles de entrada ante la nueva variante del coronavirus

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Big problem is that a large number of people will be heading to UK all at same time meaning the labs will struggle to process the results over Christmas- not good if you have to isolate until those results come through. No doubt Ryanair will not allow money back or free flight change despite the fact that the new requirements mean extra expense for many. Big thing will be Spain's response- surely the cant just let anyone enter without any recent test???

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Their website has an option which includes some kind of insurance which returns ticket money, but costs 80 euros per flight... so, yeah, what's the point?

I updated the post with what Spain's doing... they've decided being vaccinated is more important than a negative test.

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And this gives what protection???

Jabbed or not you can still catch Covid and transmit it..

Testing is the ONLY way to ensure the 300 plus others on the plane don't have it...

I put this on another forum yesterday as it proves testing is more important than just a paper to say you have been done.

As an aside. My son has now tested positive (he has to do regular tests for work), this was 4 days ago as he works shifts and is due back to work tomorrow.
HE HAS NO SYMPTONS.. at all, nothing not even a sniff. And his second jab was in September.
So if he hadn't been tested he would now be merrily sharing the virus...
But he has a cert so thats Ok...

Nope don't think so...

And even better he has now taken a full PCR test and its come back POSITIVE and he still has no symptoms.
He had a video call with his doctor last night and he said that, my son is not the first case he has dealt with where there are no symptons..

So you can keep your bit of paper, I will only go out when I need to and will wear a mask if anyone else is around, even if they are across the road..

And with the 'new' variant who knows the whole thing may be starting again..

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Yes we're wondering how we'll get ours. We got our first two in Canada and now have moved to Peniscola until new year. We're not due a booster until January. Not quite sure how it will work.

Lovin Spain BTW!

Ps 54 years old

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The chair of the South African Medical Association says symptoms are much milder, so the decision makes sense if Spain's aim is to keep people out of hospitals.

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I'd be reticent to trust what a chair says. A sofa though may add more weight.

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Still doesn't answer the issue of allowing vaccinated but untested people to access all areas....otherwise it will still be spread like wildfire...
Spain is allowing vaccinated only in and the Uk is now saying you need a test when you arrive. (but as you may have already infected 300 others) Cart before Horse springs to mind...

What is needed is a test that can be performed as you arrive at the airport, you then wait in a booth (as a family if you are travelling together) until you get the all clear.
In my uneducated view, this alone would slow the spread. But what do I know???

In fact if what you have reported is the case that the variant has milder symptoms then a tested non vaccinated person is a better friend than some Ive met lately with the 'Ive had me jabs, Im safe so its off to LA for the weekend' (oh that is aimed at my wife's cousin who has just done this....) No test but fully vaccinated....

Its a case of Im alright jack, sod the rest of you....

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It was the Moderna jab.. Herded like livestock to the slaughter at the hospital General. Do not know if it was the booster or normal vaccine??

Still has not shown up on the covid passport.. Any one know when or how long it takes to update it?

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In Andalucia, my husband had his booster on a Monday afternoon and downloaded his updated EU vaccination certificate, showing the third dose, the following morning.

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Thanks Lynn. Just downloaded the updated certificate,

https://coronavirus.san.gva.es/certificado-digital-ue

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My town hall sent me that site today and I was about to put it on here when I spotted that you had already done so. Thank you, I believe that it will help a lot of members.

Rosemary

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What I said a few days ago is no longer true - I HAVE now been contacted by phone a couple of hours ago, bringing my appointment forward by one day to this evening, and it will now be in the mass vaccination centre at the feria ground, not my local health centre (so much for thinking I was just going to be able to walk around the corner!). Don't know why they have changed it but things are obviously changing fast.

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Keep your old QR code handy as well if you've had a booster. We had the booster last Friday, the QR code fails the scan for both of us. However, the old QR code passes the scan.

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We had ours yesterday arranged via Salude Responde App. Ours were done at our village medical centre.
our covid certificate was updated today .

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UK's just added a pre-departure test to the list of requirements from Tuesday 4am. This is the thing they should have announced about a week ago instead of the post-arrival test.

Negative PCR or lateral flow. More info here.

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Still a better response than some countries who just allow people to come in with the proof of jabbing.

Testing is the only way to control it. Jabbed don't give immunity or protection.

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It makes the confusingly-named Day 2 test redundant though. But you've still got to do that test as well after arrival and isolate until you get the negative result.

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Frankly, it's a political decision. I'm all for testing ( even though I'm booked to go 26th and its expensive) but this is simply a response to the criticism of the government with respect to Christmas parties etc. Boris doesnt want to upset the tabloids who all just want to have a piss up. So his response his make it look like hes doing something by hitting travellers ( a much smaller number of people many who are non Brits). Omicron is in UK so making it look like a problem from somewhere else doesn't hold water. If he really cared they would bring in Covid passports, reduce opening hours, compulsory mask wearing etc

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While I agree with most of this.
Particularly the mask wearing as we still wear almost constantly.

Covid passports mean nothing. It's just another bit of useless paper.
Testing is the only way to control this. And it's not just me a work mate's wife is a virologist and she has been saying this for ages.

You can test negative one day and sit on a plane with 200 others, some of who may have come in contact after the negative test. So I'm happy to take tests to travel (not that I will be anytime soon) and to have one to release...
And there are still hundreds of idiots who want to go on holiday when it's not important.
Australia has cases of the new variant and its almost impossible to get there, even with testing and isolation.

Either the world just reopens and treats this like a bad flu (which it will at some point) or it carries on opening and closing borders willy nilly. Which is what I fear will happen...

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I agree that testing is necessary but why hit people who are trying to visit family ( two years since my son saw his 87 year old gran!). And once we are tested etc in UK we can go to a pantomime for 2 hours with hundreds of people, or a packed bar, or shopping mall, o Christmas market- and these are safe places??? It doesn't make sense unless it is seen for what it is- an attempt to keep the UK voters happy by appearing to sound tough when in reality it is all about manipulation.. And now we find that last Christmas, whilst many of us were forced to stay on our own because of all the rules Boris was having a party in number 10 and we are meant to believe that that was allowed!!!. If people start to turn against more restrictions it will be understandable.