As you will be aware the government has launched a 3rd dose of COVID vaccination for selected patients who may not have mounted an adequate response to the first two doses. Separately adults over 50 years and those in original vaccine groups 1-9 are to be offered a so-called booster dose. The type of vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) will be the same but the terminology is different and the current plan seems to be that those who had a 3rd dose will be offered a booster 6 months later.
The clinician community advising MPN Voice have discussed and agreed that patients with MPN of any subtype regardless of whether they are treated or not, should seek and accept a 3rd dose COVID vaccine.
We are aware that many people are reporting issues with the rollout of the 3rd dose and that some GPs or treating teams haven’t been made aware that they should be giving people with blood cancer, which includes MPNs, a 3rd dose, and that they are struggling. You can contact your GP and your haematology team asking them to book you in for a 3rd dose, showing them the letters issued by MPN Voice and Blood Cancer UK (which includes a letter from NHS England). See links below to download and print these letters.
It is really important that if you are called for booster dose and are offered the Moderna vaccine, you should NOT get that instead of your 3rd dose, this is because the Moderna vaccine is given as a booster dose, there is less of the vaccine in the vial than when it is given as a 3rd dose for the immunocompromised, you should elect to have the Pfizer vaccine. Blood Cancer UK have issued advice which we advise you read, click here.
MPN Voice has produced a MPN specific letter which you can use in conversation with your GP, and NHS COVID vaccination booking to obtain a 3rd dose vaccine.
You can download and print a copy of the letter here.
Working with Blood Cancer UK and The British Society of Haematology, a similar but not MPN specific document has been produced which you can find here.
