Pfizer or Oxford

[starchildmum]

Hi

I was wondering which vaccine centres use Pfizer and which one Oxford? I have a strong preference for Pfizer and my appointment was originally in a pharmacy in Ealing London. After I called and found out that they only do Oxford I rebooked but not sure if I will get Pfizer. They explained that most phamacies and community centres won't offer Pfizer as they don't have the storage facilities and Pfizer would most likely only be offered in Hospitals etc.

Any views on that? I am just curious if that is how it works?
Thank you!

@mytrueaccount

OP, if you have a history of allergic reactions you cannot have the Pfizer, only the AstraZeneca.

Am anaphylactic to peanuts, and was fine with Pfizer.

@followthesciencebrickroad

Generally speaking, Pfizer gives no side effects after the 1st dose, but you might have some (normal) side effects after the 2nd. AZ is the other way around.

Both have been shown to be highly effective in terms of cutting severe disease and hospitalisation. Ironically, real world data suggest AZ might be slightly more effective but let's not split hairs. I had AZ but would have had either.

My bil had side effects on first day post pfizer. It really is depending on each person ,

I phoned to doctors to get booked in and she booked me in for the oxford. I asked if I could have the Pfizer instead and she moved my appointment to the hospital hub no problem.

I carry an epipen, have allergies but not to medication (so far).

i had the opportunity to have the vaccine, it was pfizer, i took it. I am fine and had no reaction!

Had mine at a hospital they were only doing the oxford one which i was very happy to have

I had no side effects at all apart from a tender injection site for 24 hours

I’m nhs staff and several staff on my ward had obvious side effects and felt unwell with the Pfizer just as my dad had side effects that lasted a couple of days with the AZ. There’s no guarantee with either, it’s how your body responds. We all have had Pfizer as stored easily in our trust. I was lucky and had minimal but some very mild side effects

To be honest I'd have been happy to have the Pfizer, if the Dr had okayed it...but they looked at my notes and said not to...(I'm guessing due to the history of reactions to different meds rather than the anaphylactic reaction to shellfish...as I doubt there are many prawns involved in vaccine production!)

ilovemydog I know, it's just that's what the NHS says. Actually neither vaccine contains any major known allergens but Pfizer does have PEG. I got Pfizer the day before the Scottish results came out suggesting the AZ works better 🤣 And DH got AZ. We both have had more side effects from a bog standard annual flu shot some years and not others so 🤷🏼‍♀️. The way vaccines work is by tricking your immune system into thinking you're sick, so a strong reaction is probably a good sign as another PP said. People who know they have had CV and are therefore already tuned to fight it, for instance, have stronger side effects. OP, Google the facts, talk to your prescriber, and don't panic.

I don’t think there’s a way of definitely knowing. Locally to me a wild guess seems to suggest Pfizer is being given from doctors Surgeries and AZ from the vaccination hubs but this differs. I’ve just had AZ on Sunday. I’ve had no side effects whatsoever!

DDs two friends (all three are HCPs) caught Covid four weeks after the Pfizer vaccine, I get a bit annoyed by all the Pro PZ and anti AZ stuff I read on here.

I will have anything but given the choice I’m learning towards AZ.

I had the Pfizer one via my GP at a local hub, but if I ask around others have had AZ.

Mine was booked 4 days out and they knew which one it was so they could let me know that I had to sit for 15 mins post jab.

I had no preference and my side effects were just a bad headache for 4+ days

Oh, in case my PP wasn't clear, I meant we both had less reaction to either shot than we expect to get from the flu shot.
I have to say I think the gov and media made a mistake playing up the "record-setting" speed of these vaccines coming out. In fact, neither contains anything untested for years previously. The mRNA technology in the Pfizer has been under study since the 2003 SARS epidemic, and the AstraZeneca is a bog standard inactivated vaccine, and neither has any unusual exipients, solvents, or preservatives. It was the bureaucracy that was accelerated, not the science.

@mytrueaccount

OP, if you have a history of allergic reactions you cannot have the Pfizer, only the AstraZeneca.

I think guidelines have changed regarding allergies and Pfizer, I have allergies - including quite a severe penicillin allergy - and had the Pfizer

I also have anaphylactic allergies, the centre I went to stated that if you had anaphylactic drug allergies then they would only use Astra Zeneca

As I have one drug allergy and a wasp sting allergy that are at that level I was given the Oxford

Ds is due soon he is category 6 but 17 years with an anaphylactic food allergy so will have to have the Pfizer jab as that is the only one licensed below 18

But seriously OP you only have to look at the threads to see both vaccines cause a reaction and that’s perfectly normal, it shows an immune response which is what you want

I'm also leaning towards the AZ as I think we are more likely to get the booster that has been tweaked for some variants more quickly in the Autumn as it's manufactured here.

I'd have either if I was offered but honestly i'd prefer the az one (performed better in Scottish study, proven to work with the twelve week gap and anecdotally everyone I've heard of who caught covid post vaccine had the Pfizer one).

The nurse at my centre told me they don’t know until the new stock turns up what they are getting

Still don’t get my people are getting worked up about which brand they are getting. For any other vaccination you don’t ask what brand you are getting so why ask for covid

Just be bloody grateful you are getting it at all

Are there any Facebook groups local to your area? If you ask around you’ll likely find out which centres are doing which vaccines. People on here say there’s no way of knowing and it’s all about what gets delivered but that’s not been my experience. There are two large vaccination centres near me, one does only Oxford and one has both but give Pfizer unless you have any allergies, in which case they give Oxford. It’s common knowledge round here now.

Why don't you just thank your lucky stars you get to have any vaccine?

All those people in countries desperate and people are trying to choose like they are buying a lipstick!

@minchinfin

I'm also leaning towards the AZ as I think we are more likely to get the booster that has been tweaked for some variants more quickly in the Autumn as it's manufactured here.

WTAF?

Unless there's a medical imperative, the just be fucking thankful for receiving your allotted vaccine

well..."anecdottaly" I was unwell after sec dose Pfizer with temp of 39C

I think guidelines have changed regarding allergies and Pfizer, I have allergies - including quite a severe penicillin allergy - and had the Pfizer

My mil was told she couldn't have Pfizer because of her penicillin allergy only 2 weeks ago and had to wait.

I have the same allergy plus others. I'm due in next group so it will be interesting to see what they tell me. Good that you had no issues.

AstraZeneca is not a bog standard inactivated vaccine, it a modified chimp adenovirus.

If you have a medical reason to have one over the other, your doctor will know and advise.