Allergies and vaccine booking

[MuddleMoo]

If you have a history of allergies will they know which vaccine to give you when you book or do you just turn up and they decide there if you can have it? I have a relative with severe allergies and we are wondering how to make sure the appointment doesn't get wasted if they aren't allowed it.

They will ask you at the vaccination centre.

Where I went they give Pfizer unless you have any allergies at all in which case they give AZ.

I am vaccinating at an AZ centre. Unless you have a severe allergy to one of the vaccine ingredients, we will vaccinate you. Does relative use an Epipen?

Ok thank you. Yes to Epipen. Does that mean it's ok for either one? I didn't realise they can offer both in one centre.

@MuddleMoo I think they all carry some AZ for this reason. It’s Pfizer that not all have.

Thanks, we will book and go along and see but not get our hopes up just in case.

At my local GP led vaccination centre they only have one type of vaccine at a time (whichever one they have been allocated). A few people have been booked in when the Pfizer vaccine was being given and have had to leave without being vaccinated due to their allergies and they were told to rebook for Astra Zeneca jab. It may be different at the bigger NHS centres but there's definitely not been a choice on the day at the small local one.

The Anaphylaxis campaign website is constantly being updated on info about allergies and vaccines. Worth a look to check the latest

"Unless you have a severe allergy to one of the vaccine ingredients, we will vaccinate you."

Ah, that is interesting - if you've had a rash reaction in the past (rather than an anaphylactic reaction) will they still give you the vaccine? Who do you discuss it with when you go - is there always a doctor to talk to about it at the large centres?

(I think there are some allergies that a-z may be unsuitable for - polysorbate 80? Can you tell I have been reading the guidance?!)

I found out when the surgery phoned to book me in. I asked which vaccine it would be and she said, Pfizer - she said she would check with the Dr who looked at my notes and said to wait until they had a delivery of Astra Zeneca.

I think it might depend which one you can’t have? My MIL was advised by her doctors to have Pfizer due to the flu vaccine having triggered a serious medical condition in the past (AZ vaccine is a viral vector vaccine like the flu vaccine). She says she wasn’t allowed to book via the central system and had to wait for her GP to arrange for her to go to another surgery that had Pfizer (hers didn’t).

@Fizzgigg

The Anaphylaxis campaign website is constantly being updated on info about allergies and vaccines. Worth a look to check the latest

Thank you this is very useful!

The advice has changed from don't have Pfizer if you have severe allergies to don't have Pfizer if you have allergies to the ingredients in the Pfizer vaccine (specifically polyethylene glycol, but there may be others).

If you are still concerned, make your appointment via your GP (everyone has the right to do this, even if contacted by the national booking programme) and the GP can coordinate with the hub to ensure an AZ vaccine is available.

My sister has a severe allergy and carries an epi pen. She was initially booked to a clinic who on did the Pfizer vaccine so had to rebook for AZ one a few weeks later