If offered a vaccine I'm not happy with can my partner refuse it until another is available?

[Cheddarcheeseandsodabread]

Given that Pfizer can not guarantee protection if the 2nd dose is given more than 3 weeks after the first dose, would my partner (who is due his jab on Thurs) be able to refuse the Pfizer jab if offered, but stay on the 'list' until the Astra Zeneca jab is available instead?

My family member who had a jab didn't even know which one they were getting until they had the needle out. I'd take whichever one I was offered because once you've been offered one, you might just drop down the list.

I don't think we can choose tbh...

No, and he won’t be told which one he’s having until he’s there either.

I’m wondering the same....

I’m due to get mine next week in the hospital I work in and I’m thinking of requesting the AZ jab if they initially offer me the Pfeizer.

I would say yes everyone is entitled to decide what gets injected into their bodies.

No

No, and he won’t be told which one he’s having until he’s there either.

Why not?

Is it top secret information or something?

Do people not have the right to know what they’re about to have injected into them?

@MaxNormal You can decide. But what you can't presumably then do is expect to stay at the top of the list until your preferred option is made available.

Is informed consent no longer a thing medically then? That another thing that's gone in the bin Because Covid?

A friend was hiven the AstraZeneca vaccine on Saturday. The persin who did her vaccination said they did not know which vaccine they would be giving each day until it was delivered.

Some centres give one and not the other so it may be possible to opt for a location giving the Oxford, but most recipients won't know until the day (or not even ask).

Mine is on Thursday and I got to book and choose. I was also going to go for the Oxford but the clinic only had availability when I'm in meetings all day so I've gone for the Pfizer now. This was through the Council's booking system-not sure how it works for others.

I'm pretty sure that they could refuse, but I wouldn't be certain that they'd then be a priority for a second chance. It depends on how much your partner wants to have a vaccine I suppose.

How does your partner feel, are they in a position to make a decision? Your title is a little confusing...

The Oxford was at a mass vaccination centre while I have to go to the local hospital hub for the Pfizer- makes sense.

He might have to turn up on the day to find out, but he could at that point refuse it if he wants. He'll probably be given another chance at some point, though no guarantee when.

But I do think it is a bad idea not to take wherever vaccine is offered. The Pfizer vaccine trial showed that it had a 89% effecacy after about 2 weeks which is before the second shot was given. We don't know how long immunity lasts from one shot, but every reason to think it would last the 12 weeks needed. Compared to no vaccine which of course gives no protection at all.

Informed consent doesn’t mean getting to choose which manufacturer your drugs come from. He’s at perfect liberty not to consent to have a vaccine.

Of course you can refuse a vaccine, it's not compulsory.

How long you then have to wait for your preferred option, might be worth asking your GP surgery as they are the most likely to be able to inform for your particular area.

But I can't see it being encouraged as if everyone starting stating preferences the whole system would collapse.

An older couple I know refused the Pfizer one and were offered the AZ one a couple of weeks later. She's a very unwell woman though & believed the AZ one would be better for her.

I think that people should only do it in extreme situations though because it's going to cause a lot of extra paper work & slow down the process.

Informed consent doesn’t mean getting to choose which manufacturer your drugs come from.

It's not like it's a generic with different manufacturers. There are two very different mechanisms of action at work, essentially two completely different drugs with, hopefully, the same outcome.

I got my invitation message yesterday. When I followed the link to book it stated very clearly which vaccine it would be

Theres literally millions of people fighting to get these vaccines it would be incredibly selfish to waste an appointment and potentially a vaccine if someone to turned it down whilst sat in the chair. Whilst we individually aren't actually handing any money over for these vaccines they still cost money to provide. Be grateful that you've been offered the opportunity to have a vaccine at all.

Nobody is going to force you to have a vaccine you don't want, but at the same time they aren't going to make you a priority for the one you do want. Depending on the centre they may not even know what they will have in stock on the day of booking.

I don't know if there are centres only doing one type, it doesn't seem fair to waste an appointment. Pfizer will make a booster ASAP if one is needed.

@MaxNormal

Informed consent doesn’t mean getting to choose which manufacturer your drugs come from.

It's not like it's a generic with different manufacturers. There are two very different mechanisms of action at work, essentially two completely different drugs with, hopefully, the same outcome.

If there’s a clinical reason for him to have one over the other, his healthcare providers will be aware. If he just wants to choose for some reason, he’d have to wait and see which one he was offered and turn it down if it wasn’t his preference and wait and see if the other one ever becomes available for him to access. He’d be an utter clown to do so, but that’s what informed consent would be in this situation, not the vaccine nurse going ‘right you are, I’ll get you the other one from the vast numbers of vaccines we keep in allocated in the back room’.

I got a letter today giving the time and date 11th Feb at 11:50, for my vaccination. No details of which vaccine I will be given so I need to phone to ask.

I work in one of the vaccinations hubs of a major London Trust. For the foreseeable future we will only be offering the Pfizer because we fortunately have the freezer storage for it when many smaller places don't. We are always more than happy to disclose to patients on booking that they will have the Pfizer. And of course, it is not a problem if they don't want to book with us because they want the Oxford. Unfortunately they wouldn't go back on a "list" though because we wouldn't be keeping a record of people's preferences for the Oxford. They are always within their rights to change their minds and call us back though, and would be eligible for the Oxford if a different centre invites them for that vaccine.