Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

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

90 replies

Cheddarcheeseandsodabread · 26/01/2021 17:59

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?

OP posts:
Meredithgrey1 · 26/01/2021 18:38

@Scarby9

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.
Are there not people who can’t have one or the other? Is it still the case that those with anaphylactic history can’t have the Pfizer one? Surely it makes sense for those people not to book slots and then be told they can’t have the vaccine that’s there that day? Or is that no longer an issue for the Pfizer one?
WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 26/01/2021 18:43

@Mousehole10

No, and he won’t be told which one he’s having until he’s there either.
That's not true
Davros · 26/01/2021 18:43

I know someone who has been told by her Dr she can't have Pfizer so it must be on record.

bruffin · 26/01/2021 18:44

Is it still the case that those with anaphylactic history can’t have the Pfizer one
Think advice on this has changed. It now only anaphylactic history to the ingredients, of the vaccines , not just a previous anaphylactic reaction to anything

TheVeryHungryTortoise · 26/01/2021 18:45

@Meredithgrey1 It depends and does vary between Trusts. At mine we are usually happy to give the Pfizer to those with anaphylaxis history but they do have a quick talk to the prescribing Dr beforehand who then decides based on their exact history. Usually if they are in these vulnerable groups, have been fine with other recent vaccines (such as a flu jab), and are keen to have the vaccine the Dr tends to agree on balance that they can have it.

Sparklingbrook · 26/01/2021 18:49

Bit risky to be turning down a jab at this stage unless there's a medical requirement.

All 3 people I know who have had theirs knew at the booking in stage (about a week before) which one they were getting.

JS87 · 26/01/2021 18:53

Personally I think that’s not a reason to decline it. It’s not like the Oxford vaccine clearly showed a 12 week wait was ok either. They had around 150 Patients in the trial who got the vaccine after 6-12 weeks. Also I don’t think there’s an immunological reason why one would be fine with a 12 week gap and not the other

warmandtoasty2day · 26/01/2021 18:55

unless their is a medical reason, people should just be grateful they are being offered a jab, so many people have died waitting for this, so those who are being fussy just come across as selfish imo.

Movinbaby · 26/01/2021 18:57

My Mum had the Oxford vaccine last week. She has the 2nd jab mid April!!!

B1cd · 26/01/2021 19:02

GP surgeries seem to be offering the Oxford vaccine because they don’t have the freezing capacity for the Pfizer. Hubs appear to be offering both and hospitals the Pfizer only.

Phymp · 26/01/2021 19:06

@ILookAtTheFloor

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.
Not heard of councils arranging bookings, I thought it was all NHS?
3littlewords · 26/01/2021 19:06

@Davros

I know someone who has been told by her Dr she can't have Pfizer so it must be on record.
Theres a massive difference between cant have and don't want it
Mydogisagentleman · 26/01/2021 19:15

I had mine this morning. I only got to choose the time and day.
As it happens I got the Pfizer one.
I honestly wasn’t bothered which I got

LemonTT · 26/01/2021 19:19

@B1cd

GP surgeries seem to be offering the Oxford vaccine because they don’t have the freezing capacity for the Pfizer. Hubs appear to be offering both and hospitals the Pfizer only.
They don’t need the freezing capacity, it’s transported in refrigeration to GP practices.

GPs use a combination of both. Some might only have AZ now.

Pharmacies will only have AZ.

AnImposter · 26/01/2021 19:20

@bruffin

Is it still the case that those with anaphylactic history can’t have the Pfizer one Think advice on this has changed. It now only anaphylactic history to the ingredients, of the vaccines , not just a previous anaphylactic reaction to anything
Not in my vaccine centre, it's anaphylactic reaction to more than one medication and/or one episode of unexplained anaphylaxis.

They did remove the reaction to foods or insects from the list though.

hatgirl · 26/01/2021 19:22

Not heard of councils arranging bookings, I thought it was all NHS?

Councils are organising which of their staff are eligible for it and providing those who are links to the NHS booking system.

GP surgeries seem to be offering the Oxford vaccine because they don’t have the freezing capacity for the Pfizer. Hubs appear to be offering both and hospitals the Pfizer only.

Entirely dependent on area and what facilities are available and which day you go. I had the Oxford vaccine at a hospital, but had I booked a different day at the same hospital it could easily have been Pfizer instead.

Staffy1 · 26/01/2021 19:37

You're expected to accept whichever one you are offered. Although when my mother got her letter, she was given a choice of places to book, and one of them specified that it was the Oxford vaccine being given there.

Kitkat151 · 26/01/2021 19:41

@ThornAmongstRoses

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?

Vaccinators don’t even know which vaccine they will be giving until the day.....it’s whichever turns up
Kitkat151 · 26/01/2021 19:44

@Paul72

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.
There is no way vaccinators will know which vaccine will be available on the day for 11th feb....they probably won’t even know on the 10th feb.
VicSynix · 26/01/2021 19:44

I'm volunteering at a GP hub (not a surgery, we're using a local hall). We originally had only the Pfizer, now we're getting only the AZ. The benefit of the AZ is that we can do about double the number of patients a day, as with the AZ they don't have to sit down for 15 minutes afterwards, and any unopened vials at the end of the session can be used on housebound patients.

But we haven't had a choice, it's just what we get.

Kitkat151 · 26/01/2021 19:46

@B1cd

GP surgeries seem to be offering the Oxford vaccine because they don’t have the freezing capacity for the Pfizer. Hubs appear to be offering both and hospitals the Pfizer only.
Hubs are not offering both....they may have both but on the day you are directed to the next available vaccinator and it’s pot luck which you get.
cptartapp · 26/01/2021 19:47

Well they can only vaccinate him if he gives consent, which is right up until the needle goes into his arm. So of course he can say no on the day.
He'll still remain eligible for vaccination forever. But might find it tricky to get back into the system quickly. And won't be popular.

CrackOpenTheGin · 26/01/2021 19:52

@Staffy1

You're expected to accept whichever one you are offered. Although when my mother got her letter, she was given a choice of places to book, and one of them specified that it was the Oxford vaccine being given there.
Why on earth should people just be expected to be happy with what they get? Surely it’s easy for each venue to specify which vaccine will be used and people can book in accordingly. This is what’s wrong with the nhs..people are expected to just put up and shut up.
JovialNickname · 26/01/2021 19:55

It's my understanding (and I'm not a health professional) that there would be no point waiting for the Astra Zenica jab on that basis. Pfizer have come out and given that statement, and Astra Zenica haven't, but that's less to do with the efficiency of the jab and more to do with PR. No clinical trials for either vaccine have been done on the basis of anything other than 2 jabs 3 weeks apart. Pfizer have just made a statement about it, AZ haven't. But the situation for both of them is the same - the government have overridden the previous protocols and decided 1 jab, in the first instance, is enough instead.

If I were you I would accept the jab offered.

Iwasonceabrownie · 26/01/2021 20:07

I had the Oxford one. I wasn't told until I arrived, didn't bother me either way to be honest.