Tips For Getting Preferred Vaccine

[SunshiningBetty]

I know this is controversial from a few threads about it on here and I am certainly an advocate of getting whatever vaccine is offered to you at the time.

However,

I do understand that some people feel happier having the Pfizer and some happier having the Oxford. I’m interested to know if there are ways to hedge your bets to get your preferred one.

For example, when I tried to book my nan in online I was offered a list of about 12 places. There were lots of chemists (which I presume must be Oxford as I doubt they have the cold storage needed) and a vaccination hub which I don’t know anything about.

I know it’s not set in stone as my dad went to a hospital hub through the GP in January and got Pfizer. My mum went to the same hub through the GP last week and got Oxford.

I know there was a delay with the Pfizer at the end of January. Are supplies restored now?

Anyone got anymore insight?

The site I work get seems to get each one at random, with a few days notice apart from the first two weeks which were Pfizer. A few weeks we've had both available but different days. So our staff got to choose (if they really wanted to wait an extra 2 weeks) but patients haven't.

I'm not super close to the vaccine programme, but from my experience of working in a hospital some places give no choice.
For example, on the main site at my trust we were all given Pfizer, whereas at another site in the trust it was AstraZeneca.

That said, when my cousin was offered her vaccine up north she was given a choice.

It might vary hub to hub.

NI have it listed on their vaccination plan which supplies were allocated for which settings. Does your local healthy authority have similar? Not sure if the other devolved nations did similar

I’m Shropshire and can’t find any information anywhere.

I’m not sure your presumption about a lack of cold storage means it will be Oxford is right.

Friend of mine works at a vaccination hub, they don’t have super cold storage but do both vaccines. The Pzifer one comes from the local hospital, it’s taken out the freezers there in advance as needs to defrost. It’s then transported to various vaccination places.

My friend says some days they do one, some days they do the other....they don’t know what’s coming until it turns up. I assume this is changing as second doses start to be given as they’ll need to make sure people get the same as their first?

DF asked if he would get the same for the second dose and was told it would depend what they had at the time

A tin of Quality Street and have a t-shirt with PFIZER on in as big a font as you can get, maybe also the logo on both arms. When you get their ask to see the manager hand em the quality street, clap and then say in a loud voice
Right where do I get pricked ? That should either work or get you thrown out or maybe both.

Scotland vaccinator here. I'm working in one of the larger hubs. We've had Pfizer exclusively this past 4 weeks. If someone demonstrates that they have major allergies to medicines/chemicals/contact dermatitis type reactions, possibly carry an epi-pen, our directive is to offer them the Oxford Astra-Zeneca instead. We only have very small supplies of Oxford.
We don't offer a choice.

@Riapia

DF asked if he would get the same for the second dose and was told it would depend what they had at the time

They've definitely said at the minute there's to be no mixing of vaccines, no evidence to support it. Though I think they're doing trials. Or thinking about trials?

@vera99

A tin of Quality Street and have a t-shirt with PFIZER on in as big a font as you can get, maybe also the logo on both arms. When you get their ask to see the manager hand em the quality street, clap and then say in a loud voice Right where do I get pricked ? That should either work or get you thrown out or maybe both.

😂😂😂

Yes they are doing trials for mixing vaccines - I’m getting my first mystery jab this weekend.