Covid Vaccinations 2024

We are now offering Covid-19 Vaccinations at the Ilam Medical Centre.

If you meet the below criteria,
and it has been at least 6months since your last covid-19 vaccination,
and it has been at least 6 months since you last had the Covid-19 virus,
then please call reception to book a nurse appointment for your vaccination.

Criteria

30 years and older, 6 monthly

** 16 years and older (only as a single booster)

** 12 years and older available if at risk of severe illness – Please discuss this with your GP before booking.

Covid-19 Cominarty Vaccination:

Coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Like other coronaviruses, it has characteristic crown-like protein spikes on the surface which it uses to infect the cells in our airways. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, provides your body with the instructions to make the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The spike protein is presented to the cells in the lymph nodes and induces a strong immune response.

Covid-19 continues to circulate widely internationally and to evolve rapidly with continuous changes to the spike protein. Because of this we need to maximise vaccine effectiveness by using variant-matched vaccines, similar to the way we do for influenza vaccines. Omicron is the only variant currently circulating globally and previous variants such as Delta and the original strain have largely disappeared. Numerous sub-lineages of Omicron have caused global waves of infection. Therefore, as of 7^th March 2024, there is a new Cominarty Vaccine (Omicron 30mcg XXB.1.5), which offers better protection against the current strains of Covid-19.

Booster/Additional Dose Schedule:

Although protection against reinfection with Omicron variants wanes within months of booster doses, protection remains against severe disease. It is not yet certain how long the protection from COVID-19 vaccines and infection lasts. For most, it appears that protection against severe disease extends beyond six months as immune memory develops. So, having a dose earlier than 6months has limited benefit. Having a longer interval between doses also reduces the incidence of adverse events, including the rate of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA vaccines. Therefore, additional/Booster doses should be given at least six months after previous COVID-19 vaccination or COVID-19 infection.

A single booster dose is recommended for individuals aged 16 years and over, after completing the primary course.

Additional doses of Comirnaty 30mcg XBB.1.5 continue to be recommended from six months after last COVID-19 vaccination for those aged 12 and over who are eligible because of a higher risk of severe infection.

Additional doses continue to be available for healthy people aged 30 and over.

For more information on eligibility for additional/booster doses, please refer to the following website:

Comirnaty 30mcg XBB.1.5 – Immunisation Advisory Centre (immune.org.nz)

Safety Information:

All National Immunisation Schedule vaccines can be given at the same time as the Comirnaty 30mcg XBB.1.5 vaccine, preferably in a different limb. Influenza vaccination is also highly recommended for eligible groups and can be given at the same time as all COVID-19 vaccines.

This vaccine is safe to be given at any stage of pregnancy, and is Latex-free.

Common responses to this vaccine include: Pain at injection site, Headache, Fatigue, Muscle aches, Chills, Fever, Joint aches, Nausea.

Rare responses include: Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), Myocarditis, Pericarditis.

COVID-19 and the Influenza Vaccination

It is safe to have the Influenza vaccination at the same time as all COVID-19 vaccinations, however Novovax contains adjuvants to boost the immune response, so please let the nurse know if you have recently had a Novuvax Covid vaccination (Note: this is not the standard covid vaccination). Please refer to the listed websites for information, or call to discuss any concerns or queries with a nurse before booking your appointment.

If you have had COVID-19, and are no longer isolating, there is no stand-down period required before having your influenza vaccination.

If you have any questions that are not answered above, please give us a call to speak with one of our friendly nurses.