A brave mum-of-two whose life was saved by a heart transplant fears delays with the third Covid jab for those with severely weakened immune systems could now kill her.
If this happens Annette Price* says the Government and NHS will have 'two deaths on their hands' - hers and her donor heart.
Mrs Price is one of the 500,000 severely immunosuppressed people who are eligible for a third primary care vaccine because their first two jabs are unlikely to have worked.
The third jabs are separate to the mass booster programme that was announced for 30million Brits last week.
The Government and NHS England told all GPs and hospitals to jab those eligible in a letter on September 2.
But almost three weeks later, while some have been lucky enough to get their third jab, many patients are still being turned away by their GPs and hospitals who say they know nothing about it.
This is despite NHS England telling the Mirror last week that they will be "in touch shortly" with patients.
Are you immunosuppressed and have you received your third dose yet? Join the debate in the comments below or e-mail your story to andy.rudd@reachplc.com
Mrs Price's consultant at Cambridge's Royal Papworth Hospital acted immediately on the NHS England guidance and five days later requested she have the third jab in a letter to her GP.
The 62-year-old, who underwent her life-saving surgery in May 2019, has been told she has no antibodies despite being double jabbed.
But Mrs Price, from Norfolk, was told by her doctor that they knew "nothing about it" despite her showing them the official NHS England letter and she says there are another 30 patients like her who are also experiencing the same problem.
She told the Mirror: "It would be a tragic outcome if we don’t get these doses quickly, not to mention the billions of pounds already spent on transplants being wasted for the small cost of a dose.
"There just seems to be a black hole that nobody knows about.
"I had my life saved but now because you haven't got any antibodies you're desperate to get this vaccine and if you can't get it it feels like your life is worth nothing.
"The NHS has been brilliant with the transplant but despite my letter from Papworth, which is clearly in relation to the letter sent by NHS England on September 2, my GP still cannot give me a reason for not giving the third jab to me. It's not just my GP, this seems to be affecting lots of people across the country.
"I'm worried that if I don't have this third jab and I catch Covid I could die.
"I've been given a new heart so I can get on with my life, but you also don't want to get on with your life at the moment because you don't want to risk losing your life and thinking what a waste that would have been.
"If I was to die from Covid because I haven't had my third jab they will have two deaths on their hands.
"I'm angry and frustrated that the system can't work. I'm desperately upset that a donor family could have to go through further upset by being told by my husband that I've died from Covid and they would suffer another loss.
"I know things work slowly but the most vulnerable people can now start having their boosters but what about us who were promised ours a few weeks ago and have now been forgotten. They need to get the third vaccines out immediately to save lives."
The Mirror has been contacted by numerous patients, all who are eligible for their third jab, but simply can't get it.
Florist Sam Jennings has also seen her numerous requests met with confusion.
The 43-year-old who has MS said: "The Government hasn't given the NHS the resources to do the third jab.
"I don't think they have been given an absolute direction because if they did I trust my GP to react to it. There's no extra resource for this. Who's making all these phone calls? They're overwhelmed. They don't have the manpower."
Sam, from Streatham, added: "I'm really annoyed that I've done everything properly and stayed at home and shielded. I've sacrificed so much staying at home with my mental health and everything.
"I'm really annoyed that I'm trying to do the right thing. All I want to do is try and get a vaccine but we're the forgotten ones.
"It's bureaucracy and confusion. It's life-saving and about getting my life back. I can't be economically active until I've had the third jab.
"The NHS and Government need to get their heads together and sort this out and make this happen.
"They need to decide what you have to do to be able to get the jab. Not this, 'we've told them we can do it', 'no we haven't been told we can do it'. The NHS and Government say that the third primary care jab is happening. It's not happening for many of us."
Another patient who didn't want to be named, said: "I have been immunosuppressed for 2 years due to anti-TNF therapy for Crohn's Disease. Neither my GP nor IBD team seem to know anything about the 3rd primary vaccine."
The 62-year-old office worker from Newcastle-Under-Lyme added: "I feel at higher risk now than at any other point of the covid pandemic.
"It makes me feel as though nobody cares. I feel more vulnerable now than I was at the start of Covid because at least there was shielding. There's no mask, no social distancing. I can't live any kind of life.
"It is hard enough living and working with a health disability in covid times never mind being left at risk and in the lurch by those who should be protecting us. We shouldn't have to fight for protection in this way!
"I would just like NHS England to take ownership and do as directed and make sure we are looked after a bit better.
"My understanding was we were top of the queue before the boosters. That's what I saw Mr Javid indicate yet we don't seem to be. The boosters seem to be happening but we are still where we are."
Funeral Director Stephen Dyi from Caister, Great Yarmouth, had a kidney transplant in March 2019.
He said: "It would be helpful if the Government and NHS England could communicate so that the immunosuppressed can get their 3rd primary dose.
"It's impossible to find any GP, hospital or vaccine hub locally who know anything about it. Even though NHS England sent a letter to all these on September 2 advising them of it.
"It's impossible to get the third jab. Being a person who has a renal transplant and testing negative for antibodies I would like to know why is this?
"I've met a brick wall with everyone I ask, (CCG, GPs Vacc Hubs). The third primary jab has disappeared without trace.
"Jabs for young teens and boosters for over-50s have begun but those who are immunosuppressed and told needed a third dose before a booster have been totally forgotten about.
"My wife works in a school and is terrified of bringing the virus home to me.
"I'm angry at the lack of communication between the Government and NHS because somewhere it has completely broken down.
"Why have they made a big announcement that they are rolling out the booster when there is this most vulnerable group who are still waiting for our third jab.
"It feels as though we are being skipped. We have been forgotten about all the way along.
"I don't want to criticise the NHS because the staff and everybody involved with my transplant have been absolutely brilliant. But it's obviously due to someone higher up the food chain at NHS England.
"I lay the blame with them for not being able to communicate this out properly.
"They need to pull their finger out. If you're making these promises, if these things are out there...you've put it in writing, then get it out to these people.
"Look at yourself and ask why haven't we actually got this message across to these people. Where have we gone wrong?"
Widower Craig Sunderland was left heartbroken after he was unable to see his wife Helen who died from pneumonia in hospital due to Covid restrictions last September.
The 46-year-old suffers from Psoriatic arthritis and as a result has been on immunosuppressive drugs for the past 12 years.
Craig, from Halifax, said he called his GP and was told to ring 119 to book his third jab but they told him they weren't booking them in because "no one has told us to".
"It has been more than two weeks since this was cascaded from JCVI but still my GP is saying the CCG hasn't approved rollout in Calderdale.
"I have involved my MP in my fight.
"My GP has advised me to stay isolated but this isn't working with me to move forward. I'm not in a good place since my wife passed away because I have zero social interactions.
"My anxiety is flaring up and I just don't feel myself at all, I feel empty but I have no way of meeting up with people and doing the things that lift me because of the GPs advice. Yet they continue to disable, and restrict.
"I feel invisible and alone. The last 4.5 years have been hell. I had to fight for everything for Helen and I put me as second priority. Now I am hitting the same brick walls when I try and get the minimum for my own cohort."
A DHSC spokesperson said: “Together with the NHS we are doing everything in our power to make sure everyone eligible for a third dose as part of their primary COVID-19 vaccination schedule receives it as quickly as possible.
“We are asking all GPs to identify patients within their care who may qualify for a third dose to ensure they can maintain protection heading into winter and continue to enjoy the same freedoms as everyone else.”
An NHS spokesperson: “The NHS is already vaccinating those who are immunosuppressed with a third jab and the timing is decided by patients and their clinical team who know about their ongoing care and treatment. If you haven’t had your invite yet, the NHS will be in touch shortly.”
*We have changed Annette's name at her request
