DURING winter it's highly likely you'll come down with the sniffles at some point.
With millions more Brits now eligible for their booster due to the Omicron variant, it's possible you'll get struck down with a nasty cold just days before your jab appointment.
All Brits aged 18-39 are to get their boosters by the end of January in order to protect them from Omicron.
You have to wait to be called forward by the NHS. But if you're 40 or over then you can book through the national booking service or go to a walk in site.
The most vulnerable Brits will also be able to get a fourth vaccine dose in a race to stop the variant.
Now we are all mingling freely again, germs are being spread at a quicker rate and the classic winter bugs have made a return.
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.
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It can be difficult to know what to do to protect yourself and others.
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.
Secondly, people who have been vaccinated and those suffering with the Covid Delta variant are now reporting more cold-like symptoms.
So if you have suddenly developed a cold, 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 third dose and suddenly become under the weather, you will 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 effect 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 are better.
This includes a fever (high temperature).
If you have Covid symptoms, are self-isolating or waiting for your coronavirus test result you should also 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.
If you're over the age of 40 and it's been three months since receiving your second dose, you can book a jab – instead of the original six months.
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 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 that the "best present" you can give yourself, friends and family this Christmas is to get a booster.
And the Health Secretary has stressed that third doses would give us "the best chance" of celebrating Christmas with loved ones.
At a Downing Street press conference Sajid Javid said: "This is a national mission. And we all have a role to play.
"If we want to give ourselves the best chance of a Christmas with our loved ones, the best thing we all do is step up, roll up our sleeves and get protected when the time comes."
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