GMB: Dr Amir talks about mild effects of booster vaccine
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“Get boosted now” has become the Government catchphrase as data shows a booster vaccine can prevent the risk of serious illness from the Omicron variant by 80 percent. With authorities desperate to avoid another lockdown, a fully boosted population is the best hope the nation has for beating new mutations of coronavirus.
So can you get your booster with a cold?
The short answer is yes. But you’ll need to make sure it’s not actually Covid.
If you have any symptoms, even just a minor sniffle, take a lateral flow test (LFT) or a PCR to rule out Covid.
If you’re negative, you’re safe to go and have your booster with a cold.
If you feel very unwell, however, you should book to have a PCR test and isolate until you get the result.
Even if that’s negative, you can still stay home and rest if you’re very unwell.
You can rearrange your appointment through the booking system or by speaking to your GP.
Of course, if you test positive for Covid on either an LFT or PCR test, you need to self isolate for 10 days.
You’ll then need to wait four weeks (28 days) before getting your booster jab, starting from the day you had symptoms or the day of the positive test if you’re asymptomatic.
Don’t forget to rebook your booster once the time has passed – even if you’ve been infected, it’s still safest to get vaccinated too.
Scientists have warned that two doses of a Covid vaccine are not enough to stop people from catching the Omicron variant, but a booster dose prevents around 75 percent of people getting any symptoms at all.
The UK Health Security Agency has also said that vaccines are still likely to offer good protection against severe Covid that needs hospital treatment.
The government has said every adult will be offered a booster jab by the end of the year, as long as they have had their second dose at least three months earlier.
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How can you tell if it’s a cold or Omicron?
Early anecdotal evidence is showing the main symptoms of Covid – a cough, fever and loss or change in taste or smell – are less common with the Omicron variant.
People are reporting symptoms more in line with a common cold, such as a runny nose and headache.
Doctor Amir Khan, speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, said it was “really hard” to identify whether it’s Covid or a cold these days.
However, he said the two most commonly reported symptoms coming in from people with Omicron are a “scratchy throat and muscle aches”.
Dr Khan said if you’re suffering any symptoms at all, your best bet is to get tested and assume you have Covid until it comes back negative.
He said people should treat it like they’re “guilty until proven innocent”.
PCR tests and LFT home kits can be ordered through the Government website here.
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