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Original poster

Had my invite, but how can I find out in advance which jab I'll be getting?

268 replies

PerspicaciousGreen · 22/02/2021 13:14

I got one of the new shielding letters last week moving me into group six for vaccines, and had my invite today. I've been offered a choice of two centres: one place a short walk away, one absolutely miles and miles away. Plenty of appointments next week, but no information other than an appointment time to select and an address.

I will only accept certain vaccines due to religious reasons, so I would like to find out what vaccine they are distributing at each centre before I book an appointment. The close one is an ex youth centre and I googled their phone number but no one answered - presumably because the office is closed.

I don't want to waste an appointment by booking and then having to find out it's the wrong one when I get there. I suppose I could walk past it and drop in, but that seems like madness covid-wise.

WWYD?

OP posts:
SerendipityJane · 22/02/2021 19:06

Hmm... I guess everyone is free to 'consult their conscience' and pick and choose which parts of the doctrine they wish to follow...

Er, isn't that the whole idea ? With the added free pass for sky fairies ?

saffire · 22/02/2021 19:15

Well seeing as the pope has said that to refuse the vaccine is “a suicidal denialism", then surely it's your duty as a catholic to take it?
He also said that “ethically everyone should receive the vaccine", and the Vatican announced that it is "morally acceptable" for Catholics to receive vaccines made using cell lines taken from aborted fetuses.

So from that it doesn't matter which vaccine you have. And that's from the head man! Do your duty and protect others, and don't be so irresponsible and selfish as to waste a vaccine that could go to someone who needs it.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-vaccine-coronavirus-b1785051.html

BettysButtons · 22/02/2021 19:30

Er, isn't that the whole idea ? With the added free pass for sky fairies ?

Haha! I suppose so...!

takemetomars · 22/02/2021 19:31

@MacDuffsMuff

Please don't do that, we don't have time for that in General Practice. We are not here to make people's decisions for them

@takemetomars
Thankfully, some GPs put their patients first and understand that some may be nervous and scared right now. My MIL was incredibly worried about one aspect of the vaccine and called her GP for some advice. Given than he's her doctor and doesn't consider just consider himself someone who writes prescriptions, he takes a more holistic approach, he was happy to allay her fears and give her the advice she sought.

That's fine for 1 person. Multiply that by hundreds snd there would be chaos. That's what you were advising- ring your GP- I say again, don't do that. We do not have the capacity to deal with thousands of phone calls
Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 22/02/2021 19:31

This is why I fucking hate organised religion.

OP - watch "Life of Brian", get a vaccine and shut up

OverTheRainbow88 · 22/02/2021 19:36

I believe we have the right to choose what goes into our bodies.

MacDuffsMuff · 22/02/2021 19:37

@takemetomars I didn't advise it. I merely responded to your comment to another poster who had.

Why would it be multiplied by hundreds? I don't think most people would have to need to ring their GP about this would they? But some may. My MIL has cancer, has seizures and brittle asthma. If her GP had not taken the time to discuss her concerns, she just wouldn't have had the vaccination. No one is suggesting for one minute that everyone ring their GP about this, as I said above, most won't need to. But what do you suggest people do if they really have a genuine problem that may stop them from getting vaccinated?

BettysButtons · 22/02/2021 19:53

@OverTheRainbow88

I believe we have the right to choose what goes into our bodies.
We do! As I said upthread, at the moment it's take it or leave it. The Government has no obligation to offer a choice based on religious grounds in this case... the head of the Catholic church himself condones the use of all Covid vaccines. Once the mass vaccination programme is over, the OP can choose to pay for whichever vaccine she likes.
ChloeCrocodile · 22/02/2021 19:57

Hmm... I guess everyone is free to 'consult their conscience' and pick and choose which parts of the doctrine they wish to follow...

Well fundamentally, yes. It is obviously a bit more complicated than a "take what you fancy" approach, and if you're actually interested I'm happy to discuss via pm.

hatedbytheDailyMail · 22/02/2021 19:58

I believe we have the right to choose what goes into our bodies

Believe it all you want, but you don't. You can choose whether to have the vax or not, you can't choose which one. Unless, of course, you choose to pay privately and in full for your own, then you can choose all you like.

See how much choice you have?

Saxineno · 22/02/2021 20:06

Your body, your choice!

I can tell you my collegue has an allergy and could only have AZ, and we were told locally (Coventry) that the hospital has Pfizer and GP's can access others for you. Our call for vaccine was for our work place, and all asked to register at hospital for vaccine, but they called GP who told them how to register locally for a different one.

Chailatteplease · 22/02/2021 20:12

@RightMovesAlong

I think it's beyond the pale to turn up for an appt and refuse it because it doesn't fit with your religion.

If it bothers you that much, dont go and take the risk of being very ill and / or infecting other people.

This is why I am an atheist.

Religion ha a lot to answer for and not in a good way.

Agreed.
Pootle40 · 22/02/2021 20:15

[quote NearlyAlwaysInsane]@Bluetrews25 would you say the same to a Muslism who did not want to take the vaccine if it had pork in it?[/quote]
Having lived in a Muslim country I can't tell you how many don't take that seriously but there you are.......

FeelinSpendy · 22/02/2021 20:22

I haven’t RTFT but my mum had her vaccination at a hospital. She was given a choice of 2 vaccines. They said they were out of the 3rd option. She chose the Moderna (she’s not sure why - she doesn’t know the differences between them and they weren’t explained to her).

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 22/02/2021 20:23

Hard to tell - I tried to find out and made an educated guess (large centre, lots of people saying on twitter they'd had pfizer there, people I know locally that had been there received Pfizer...)
I was given AZ - when I asked they's switched a couple of days before, They said because it was a more assured supply for the second dose. I'm a cynic, so I think more financial.

KeepWashingThoseHands · 22/02/2021 20:25

I think you need to seriously do some fact checking and understand this more (not intended as a snipy comment):

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/factcheckni.org/articles/covid-19-vaccines-and-aborted-fetuses/amp/

I didn’t work on these vaccines but have a lot of insight to cell lines used in drug discovery. HEK293 is one of the most commonly cell lines used in basic research. Irrespective of whether drugs are ‘derived’ from a cell line as you put it vs something synthetic, many drug targets are screened in these cell lines (along with 100’s of others) in later stages of development to understand their profile. There are strict licensing rules around the use and lineage of cell lines.

Given your interpretation you’d be ineligible for a huge number of drugs on the market. That is your choice and I’m not trying to minimise your religious beliefs, just not sure you’re fully understanding the science so please do before you decide. This all smacks of the MMR debate.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 22/02/2021 20:26

@RightMovesAlong

I think it's beyond the pale to turn up for an appt and refuse it because it doesn't fit with your religion.

If it bothers you that much, dont go and take the risk of being very ill and / or infecting other people.

This is why I am an atheist.

Religion ha a lot to answer for and not in a good way.

Completely agree with you. People that reuse the vaccine for no good (medical) reason should also be refused NHS treatment when they get COVID.
Cookerhood · 22/02/2021 20:54

I think the supply of AZ is more assured & there will be more confidence in it for the 2nd dose, it's not financial (sorry, off topic!)

BettysButtons · 22/02/2021 21:09

@ChloeCrocodile

Hmm... I guess everyone is free to 'consult their conscience' and pick and choose which parts of the doctrine they wish to follow...

Well fundamentally, yes. It is obviously a bit more complicated than a "take what you fancy" approach, and if you're actually interested I'm happy to discuss via pm.

I don't need to discuss anything with you. Read my posts throughout this thread. People are free to pick and choose which parts of the doctrine they wish to follow, they are also free to have a 'take what they fancy' approach. It's not right, it goes against the teachings of the church but as long as people have free will, they will do as they choose. Rightly or wrongly.
UnsolicitedDickPic · 22/02/2021 21:30

@RightMovesAlong You put it far more eloquently and with less swearing than I did (hence why my post was deleted!).

Crunchymum · 22/02/2021 22:06

Can you have slight gestational diabetes?

As far as I'm aware if you are over a certain threshold after your GTT then you gave GD.

The way it is managed can vary but its something you either have or don't have. You can't have it slightly or be borderline?

UrAWizHarry · 22/02/2021 22:24

@Saxineno

Your body, your choice!

I can tell you my collegue has an allergy and could only have AZ, and we were told locally (Coventry) that the hospital has Pfizer and GP's can access others for you. Our call for vaccine was for our work place, and all asked to register at hospital for vaccine, but they called GP who told them how to register locally for a different one.

Having an allergy towards a vaccine is a very different matter to following some bonkers religious doctrine.
KeepWashingThoseHands · 22/02/2021 22:35

The OP is not eligible for either vaccine on those religious grounds. Both used HEK293 in their design and/or manufacture as per the link my previous post.

Downthefarm · 22/02/2021 23:21

There is absolutely no foetal material in any vaccine, in case that is the conspiracy theory you have been sold. None. I checked this out with a research doctor because of a conspiracy video sent to a distant relative, and they laughed a lot.

RidingToTheMoon · 22/02/2021 23:27

I thought I’d seen it all - then I see someone using religion as an excuse to be picky about which vaccine they're getting, not to mention one they’re skipping the queue to get because of a technicality on their medical record. Not sure that’s the best way to endear oneself to your chosen deity!