Can you have a Covid booster if you have a cold?
A COUGH, cold or a runny nose are all signs of a common cold and many people are likely to pick up bugs during the colder months.
From today all adults over the age of 18 can book their booster vaccine, and while many people are working from home, you could still catch a cold before you get your jab.
All Brits over the age of 18 can today visit the NHS booking portal to get their booster jabs with vaccine centres now also offering walk-in appointments to all adults.
The most vulnerable Brits will also be able to get a fourth vaccine dose in a race to stop the variant.
From Monday, Brits were told to ‘work from home if you can’, in a bid to stop Omicron which will likely become the dominant variant, taking over from Delta.
On top of Covid infections, the common cold is rife at the moment, with Brits all over the country complaining they are suffering.
Many have said it’s the “worst cold ever”, but in reality it’s just that the majority haven’t tackled one for a while and so it feels much worse than it normally would.
It can be difficult to know what to do to protect yourself and others.
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Firstly, you should probably take a leaf out of the pandemic rulebook and work from home if you run the risk of spreading any germs.
Many people who contracted the Delta variant said there were suffering from cold or flu like symptoms.
People who have contracted Omicron have also been suffering with symptoms such as a scratchy throat.
So if you have suddenly developed a cold or if you feel unwell, it’s best to have a lateral flow test and a PCR to be sure it’s not Covid.
And if you are due to have your booster and suddenly feel under the weather, you may have more questions…
Can I still have the Covid booster if I have a cold?
The short answer is yes.
If you are certain it is not Covid you are suffering with and you are well enough to leave home, you can get your third shot with confidence.
It might make you feel a bit rougher than if you weren’t ill, but overall it’s perfectly safe – and you can emerge from your sickly funk safe in the knowledge you are protected against coronavirus.
A cold shouldn’t have an impact on your body’s ability to build an immune response to the flu, even though it is fighting an illness.
NHS guidance says you should still attend your appointment even if you have a mild illness, including a common cold.
But if you suddenly feel very unwell, stay at home and book an appointment when you feel better.
This includes a fever (high temperature).
If you have Covid symptoms, are self-isolating or waiting for your coronavirus test result, you should not attend your appointment.
It’s easy to rearrange your slot through the booking system.
Who is eligible for the booster jab?
In order to get the third dose of the life-saving vaccine, people can now go to walk-in centres up and down the country.
One of the nation’s top doctors has urged people to take up their jab offers to not only protect themselves, but to help the NHS make a dent in the backlog of care which built up during the pandemic.
Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS England national medical director, said: “Once again, the key for the public is getting your booster dose; if you haven’t had your first vaccine, get it.
“Because that is what will reduce the number of people who unfortunately need healthcare because of Covid and that will give us the capacity to get on and deal with the backlog that has unfortunately arisen because of the pandemic.”
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam told Sun readers the “best present” you can give yourself, friends and family this Christmas is to get a booster.
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